PESHAWAR: Four years in captivity of militants in tribal area has only changed appearance of Ajmal Khan, the vice-chancellor of Islamia College University (ICU), but not his nature.

Surrounded by his friends, family members, former students and colleagues a day after his recovery, Mr Khan on Friday gave answers to very difficult questions about his hard times in captivity with his typical polite manner.

There was a festive environment at his residence in the Professor’s Colony of Agriculture University Peshawar, where people kept coming to meet him and congratulate his family.

The ICU VC says he spent his time in captivity in things like teaching children

Mr Khan’s appearance has changed. The man who had only moustaches before has a grey beard now. He seemed to have aged faster during captivity. Yet, he has neither complaints nor any grudge. He only remembers the good-natured local people who paid him visits since Taliban did not keep him in chains, again, due to his own flexible and tolerant nature.

“I was not kept in chains,” said Mr Khan while talking to Dawn. He said that the local people wanted to help him escape but could not do so as they feared for their own lives.

“I myself never tried to escape because of my age and also because I was not familiar with the area,” Mr Khan said, adding that he never saw the abducted Swiss couple or the abducted son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Mr Khan said he was with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in South and North Waziristan agencies all the time as they moved from one place to another. The ICU VC said he spent his time in captivity in some productive things like teaching children.

A news agency carried a statement attributed to the Inter-Services Public Relations on Thursday night, saying that the security forces safely recovered Ajmal Khan, but did not mention the area he was recovered from.

However, sources said that he was Finally, the wait is over for Ajmal Khan’s family recovered two days ago and it was also not clear whether he was released after payment of ransom or fulfilling any demands of his captors. Family sources said that he reached home suddenly at midnight on Thursday. Mr Khan also expressed his ignorance about the location from where he was recovered.

“There was no one I could ask where I am. I did not know the area I was recovered from,” he said.

The ICU VC also said that he did not know the masked kidnappers who abducted him from Peshawar. He said that he was with TTP and later fell into the hands of Khan Said alias Sajna group of militants when they broke away from TTP.

“Both treated me well as they provided me medicines and even a radio set,” said Mr Khan who had also appeared in different video messages appealing to the government to make efforts for his release.

Mr Khan’s family, including his wife Aliya and five daughters, seemed visibly rejoiced on the safe return of their father after four long years.

“I am still speechless. I can not stop my tears, but these are tears of joy,” said Aliya. The family expressed its gratitude to those who helped in the safe recovery of Mr Khan.

“These past four years have been full of ups and downs .We underwent hope and despair at times. Today, we are very happy as our father is finally home,” said Malghalara, daughter of Mr Khan.

Prof Ijaz Khattak, a friend of the ICU VC, said that when the news of Mr Khan’s recovery broke, it was as if Eid was announced. Everybody was relieved to see that the ordeal for Mr Khan and his family was over.

“Thanks God it is a happy ending for the family,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2014