QUETTA: Balochistan government spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar on Saturday claimed that law enforcers who rescued Shahbaz Taseer knew about his whereabouts after an intelligence agency asked the provincial law-enforcement authorities to conduct a 'raid'.
Talking to DawnNews, Kakar claimed that the Taseer family had informed an intelligence agency after receiving a call from Shahbaz, after he was set free by his kidnappers.
The intelligence agency in turn informed Frontier Corps (FC) and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel to conduct a 'raid' and rescue him.
Kakar maintained that he praised the FC and CTD personnel in his statement issued due to their untiring efforts in the war against terrorism, adding that they deserved credit as 'they were not sent to Centaurus Mall, but to a location where terrorists might have attacked them'.
"We were not claiming credit for ourselves or law enforcers," clarified Kakar.
Related: Celebrations as Shahbaz returns after years in captivity
The spokesperson explained that he passed on the information 'as it was' to satisfy the media.
He elaborated that the provincial government's 'sole fault' was that it rejoiced over the news of Shahbaz's release as his abduction had tarnished country's image.
Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had formed a committee to investigate the ‘wrong’ information given by Balochistan’s inspector general police (IGP) about Shahbaz's recovery.
In a statement, Nisar stated that it must be investigated as to why the IG had said that Shahbaz had been recovered in an operation, whereas the factual position was contrary to it.
The committee was asked to submit its report to the security czar within two days.
Related: Inquiry ordered
The report, presented before the interior minister today, stated that Shahbaz was not recovered as a result of a security operation, but was released by the kidnappers.
No one deserves the right to claim credit for his release, added the report.
Shahbaz Taseer, a son of slain Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, was recovered on March 8, after being held by kidnappers for over four years. He was found in the Kuchlak area, at a place about 25km from Quetta, security officials had said.
After his recovery, Balochistan IGP Ahsan Mehboob claimed that Shahbaz was recovered from a hotel on the outskirts of Kuchlak town.
“Intelligence agencies and personnel from the CTD conducted a raid in the Kuchlak area and recovered Shahbaz Taseer,” IGP Mehboob had told Dawn, adding that Shahbaz was freed without incident and that security forces encountered no resistance when they raided the hotel compound.
Editorial: Shahbaz Taseer freed
Locals say Mr Taseer walked into a restaurant, had a meal, paid for it and asked for a phone to be able to make a call, implying that he had already been released by his captors.
Taliban deny involvement
In a text message to a DawnNews representative, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that Afghan Taliban have nothing to do with Shahbaz Taseer's abduction or release.
He maintained that his men know nothing about this and connecting this incident to the group will not be appropriate.
