December 14, 2001	Friday	Ramazan 28, 1422

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SWABI, Dec 13: The Northern Alliance forces have demanded Rs600,000 for the release of a Pakistani national who joined the Taliban when the US-led coalition forces started airstrikes against the Taliban regime on Oct 7.

When his father was approached here on Thursday, he (Gul Rahim), resident of Maneri Bala (Gar Mor), said that his son Tariq Ahmad along with his other friends proceeded to Afghanistan to join the Taliban force in October.

To a question, he said, “yes we allowed him to move in to Afghanistan for Jihad.

Before his departure he informed us about his decision and he left for Afghanistan but the names and addresses of this companions are not known to him”.

He said after the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif and retreating of Taliban from other provinces, an Afghan met him as to inform him about the fate of his son and the demand of the commanders that he should pay Rs600,000 for the return of his son if he want him alive.

He claimed the Afghan who brought this message has seemed to live in Swabi during the Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan but despite his repeated demand he neither disclosed his name nor his location in Afghanistan.

However, he told the messenger that they should first handover his son alive and only then they will pay the money and this could be done either in Afghanistan or in Pakistan.

Replying to a question he said the exact location of his son was also not disclosed, saying if he no longer in this world, then he embraced Shahadat but if he is alive and those who detained him looking for bargain then they must handover Tariq first and only then they will fulfil their demand. “In this connection we need assurance and guarantee from some responsible person”, he added.

He said when the people of the area come to know, they approached him and made all out efforts for false bargaining to mint money from him but they have enough capability to shield themselves from such deceiving tactics.

He said that another Afghan who met him demanded that his other son should be sent along with him if he has any doubt.

However, this offer was rejected due to the fear that his other son will be trapped and then they will be forced to pay for his recovery.

He said since Tariq left for Afghanistan he had not contacted them by phone nor dispatched any letter.

He appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf and humanitarian organizations to help in the release of his son because without their help the chance of his son returning to home are bleak.