QUETTA, March 18: Inspector General of Frontier Corps Maj-Gen Saleem Nawaz has described as baseless reports that Mullah Omar and other Taliban leaders and militants were hiding in Balochistan and said the Taliban did not have political and tribal support in the province.

“The border and other areas of Balochistan are not suitable for Taliban activities,” he told reporters at the FC headquarters here on Wednesday. Maj-Gen Nawaz said the New York Times report about the presence of Taliban militants and their free movement in Quetta and other parts of the province needed to be verified, adding that Balochistan was not a safe heaven for Taliban.

He said that political parties in the Pashtoon-dominated areas were against the Taliban and the atmosphere was not congenial to the Taliban setting up their headquarters there.

About the kidnapped UN official John Solecki, Maj-Gen Nawaz said that top security officials of the Balochistan government, federal interior ministry, United States and United Nations were “directly or indirectly” in contact with the kidnappers and efforts were being made to get him freed.

“I think the abductors have realised that they have committed a mistake. I think they want a safe exit and some face-saving.”

He said he was still confident that Mr Solecki had not been taken across the border because the Frontier Corps and other security agencies were checking all vehicles in areas bordering Afghanistan.

“John Solecki is a huge man and he cannot be shifted to anywhere on camel, horse or donkey,” Maj-Gen Nawaz said.He said that some suspects had been arrested in Magochar area of Kalat district and handed over to security officials for interrogation.

He said Mr Solecki might have been kept in Dalbandin, Ahmed Wal, Ispelangi and Mangochar areas and security forces were conducting raids there.