KHAR: The authorities in Bajaur Agency on Thursday arrested two people for their alleged involvement in shifting 26 minor girls from the tribal region to Karachi. The girls were recovered from a house in Liaqutabad, Karachi, on Wednesday.

Talking to Dawn, assistant political Agent Suhail Ahmad Khan said that the Bajaur administration with the help of Levies force had arrested two persons on the charges of shifting the girls to Karachi.

“Both the persons, allegedly involved in transporting the girls to Karachi, were arrested following a special team of Levies force conducted a raid on their houses in Pashat area of Salarzai tehsil,” he said.

According to the official, the detained persons were identified as Qari Samiullah and Ihsanullah of Pashat and were sent to jail for interrogation. The APA said that Ihsanulah was freed after preliminary interrogation while Qari Samiullah was still in the Levies custody.

Sources claimed that Ghausur Rehman, brother of Qari Samiullah, had allegedly transported the girls to Karachi.

“Ghausur Rehman is still at large,” they said.

Mr Khan said that following special directives by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor the administration had initiated investigation against the suspects. “We are investigating the matter to find out the cause for which the girls were taken to Karachi from Bajaur,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014