September 3, 2003	Wednesday	Rajab 5, 1424

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QUETTA, Sept 2: Three Frontier Corps men who were kidnapped by a group of the Sulemankhel tribe of Afghanistan were released with the efforts of a spiritual leader and handed over to the Zhob Militia on Tuesday.

“The three FC men have been released and they arrived in Zhob on Tuesday,” local District Coordination Officer Tahir Munir confirmed.

The group had abducted the FC men, from Karez Qamaruddin border when they were patrolling the area near the Afghan border.

The kidnappers had taken way Omar Khan, Liaquat and Niaz Mohammad to Afghanistan at gunpoint on Aug 11.

“The kidnappers held the three FC personnel in captivity for 22 days,” the DCO said.

Three tribal and official jirgas visited Afghanistan for talks with the kidnappers, who refused to release them without the acceptance of their demands.

They had demanded citizenship of Pakistan, agriculture land in Zhob and jobs for the Sulemankhels in the levies for the release of the men.

A delegation led by a spiritual leader of Jhang, Pir Kazim Shah Gilani, went to the Torwah area in Afghanistan and held negotiation with the kidnappers.

The elders of the Sulemankhel tribe handed over the kidnapped men to Pir Gilani, who brought them to Zhob on Tuesday.

According to sources, the tribe had released the men with some conditions and Pir Gilani had given assurance of their acceptance.

However, the DCO said: “I am not aware of the conditions on which the FC men have been released.”