May 02, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 25, 1429

KOHAT, May 1: The local Taliban and chiefs of 12 major tribes of Orakzai Agency on Thursday decided to postpone the hanging of a man accused of involvement in the recent kidnapping of two Sikhs from Hangu.

The decision was taken at a jirga held in Ghiljo.

The Taliban, after holding a separate meeting at a seminary, told the tribal chiefs that the man captured by them during an operation carried out to recover the kidnapped men had named his nine accomplices.

About 400 Taliban gathered at Ghiljo to attend the jirga where 70 elders of 12 of the 18 main tribes of Orakzai Agency were present.

The jirga postponed the execution till the surrender of the nine members of the gang.

The decision on how to punish the kidnappers would be taken by the central leadership of the Taliban in Waziristan Agency, sources told Dawn.

The Taliban asked the tribal leaders to hand over the nine suspects in Dabori area of Orakzai Agency by Friday so that they could be punished in accordance with Shariat laws.

An elder said the punishment could be carried out by beheading, hanging or firing squad.

The Taliban leaders said they had made it clear to the tribes that they should surrender all the criminals to them. They said the criminals could be reformed through Tabligh but would be executed publicly if they refused.

They gave the criminals one month to surrender or leave the area.

The gang had kidnapped the two Sikhs from Hangu district last week.

The Sikh community sought help from local Taliban chief Hakeemullah who ordered an operation to find them.

The leader of the gang was killed and his accomplice Ghaniur Rehman was captured in the operation. The man is in the custody of the Taliban in Dabori.