February 27, 2003	Thursday	Zul Hijjah 25, 1423

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PESHAWAR, Feb 26: The tribal MNAs claimed that their three colleagues had been kidnapped from the Governor’s House minutes after their meeting with the NWFP governor on Tuesday night.

Speaking at a news conference here at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, Mohammad Merajuddin, parliamentary leader of the Fata MNAs, said that he along with other five MNAs visited Governor’s House on the order of the governor and discussed many things with him about the development of their areas.

He said the MNAs Syed Naik Zaman, Maulana Mohammad Sadiq, Maulana Khalilur Rehman, Maulana Ghulam Sadiq and Maulana Abdul Malik reached at the Governor’s House with him at 10:00pm and stayed there for about an hour.

When they came out from the meeting room and were about to leave the premises some people dragged away Maulana Ghulam Sadiq, Maulana Khalilur Rehman and Maulana Abdul Malik and forcibly put them in vehicles and sped away.

He said he immediately contacted the governor and told him about the forcible kidnapping of his colleagues.

The dejected MNA said the governor confirmed him that some agencies officials came to meet him. He said this incident took place at the Governor’s House where they went as guests. “We think if a person is kidnapped from the residence of a host, responsibility lies on the host”, he added.

He said after this he felt his life was in danger.

He said if his colleagues were not recovered by Thursday morning, all MNAs from Fata would boycott the Senate elections to be held on Thursday. He said he had informed the MMA leaders Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-Q chief Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali and NWFP chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani about the ugly incident.

He said he would also contact people of Fata and explain them about the tragic incident which was tantamount to the humiliation of their verdict.

It may be recalled that six MNAs from Fata had been staying at the Frontier House for the last two days which caused many rumours in the city and in Islamabad. Last night, the six MNAs told the newsmen that they were guest of the chief minister. When they were asked whether they would meet the governor, they said why not. After this they were called by the governor for a meeting.