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| November 30, 2001 | Friday | Ramazan 14, 1422 |
Parties demand inquiry into POWs massacre
SWABI, Nov 29: Leaders of various political parties and social workers demanded on Thursday that the UN and human rights organizations must urgently launch an inquiry into the massacre of over 600 pro-Taliban Prisoners of War (POWs) at Qila-i-Jangi fortress by the Northern Alliance.
The Northern Alliance and the US-led coalition argued that the Pakistani, Chechen, Arab and Uzbek had refused to give up revolt and they had to be killed.
Speaking at the “Rabita” programme of Abaseen union of journalists, Mohammad Arshad of Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party said, since the Northern Alliance’s capturing of Mazar-i-Sharif, three gory incidents of cold-blooded massacre had occurred.
“In Mazar-i-Sharif, 100 foreign fighters, who hid in a mosque, were killed, followed by more then 600 incarcerated pro-Taliban butchering and the execution of 160 Taliban in the presence of US military personals by the forces to Gul Agha, a former Mujahideen governor of Kandahar,” he said.
Senior vice-president of Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, Awal Sher Khan, the portrayal of the Taliban revolt was only a pretext. According to reports the US used the military aircraft and launched about 30 sorties during the operation and the main purpose of the Taliban forces was to wipe out the militia and their supporters, saying the executed 160 Taliban had been forced to stand in a line and the Northern Alliance fighters shot them them while the US and UK special force filmed the massacre.
The Swabi Bar member and president of people’s lawyer forum, Javad Khan said, the US and Northern Alliance had failed to play their role in the post Taliban period.
It has been reported, he said, the Northern Alliance and the US defence secretary had declared they prefer to exterminate the Taliban and their supporters that conducting trials.
The provincial deputy general secretary of JUI (S), Syed Maqbool Shah Bukhari, said that the human rights organizations must bring to justice those who were behind the slaughter.
The president of Samajee Behbood Rabita Council, Roohul Amin said that contradictory reports were being received. At first it was labelled as prison riots, and then a revolt.
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