RAJANPUR, Jan 14: Eleven Wapda employees, who had been kidnapped on Tuesday evening from the Shahwali area, were recovered by police on Thursday with the help of influential tribal leaders.

None of the gangsters was arrested, though. Official sources confirmed that Mazari Sardars of Rojhan, who are members of the ruling party, handed over the Wapda men to police at the Shahwali police station in the afternoon.

At a news conference in the evening, Rajanpur district police chief Maqsoodul Hassan acknowledged the cooperation of Sardar Shamsher Khan, Sardar Atif Khan and Sardar Safdar Khan. The last-mentioned is the brother of Punjab Assembly's deputy speaker Sardar Shaukat Mazari.

The recovered workers of the Guddu Power Station - Amanullah, Khalid, Akhtar, Haq Nawaz, Fateh Mohammed, Saeed, Aslam, Tajo, Anwar, Elahi Bakhsh and a driver - were engaged in a survey of the Rainy Canal when the outlaws grabbed hold of them.

Sources said the government had told the Sardars to get the workers recovered in 96 hours or be ready to face the music. The gang, led by Chuttu Bakhrani, is notorious for kidnap-for-ransom cases.

It operates in the kuccha area of the Indus near a thick forest. It possesses sophisticated weapons, including rocket-launchers, anti-aircraft guns and mortars.

The gang had earlier kidnapped a 24-member Shahwali police team which was recovered with the help of the late Sardar Liaquat Hussain Mazari, also a brother of the deputy speaker, Shaukat Mazari. At the time, the gang had not returned official arms and wireless phone sets.

OUR D.G. KHAN CORRESPONDENT ADDS: The Dera range DIG said the gang was surrounded by the law enforcement agencies in the kuchha area and was asked on behalf of the local tribal influentials to free the hostages or be ready to face strict action. "Over this warning, they freed the hostages."