Asad Qureshi, the British journalist of Pakistani origin, who was kidnapped in March along with two others while on their way to North Waziristan has been released. This was confirmed on Thursday by the British High Commission which refused to divulge further details other than that he was being provided consular access.
Mr. Qureshi was heading to North Waziristan along with two former ISI officials Khalid Khwaja and Sultan Ameer Tarar (known as ‘Colonel Imam') to make a film on the Taliban. En route, the three were kidnapped by a little known group ‘Asian Tigers'. Khwaja's body was found in April after his abductors killed him; purportedly for working for the U.S. The fate of Col Imam is not yet known.
Referring to the demand made by the captors for $ 10 million as ransom for Mr. Qureshi's release, the South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) while welcoming his release said the details of the deal, if any, should be made public as this could be the beginning of a dangerous trend.
Quoting the example of Afghanistan where foreign journalists are constantly being used as “bargaining chips” by militants, SAMC secretary-general Najam Sethi condemned all such methods and tactics, and demanded protection for local journalists who constantly face the Taliban's wrath for being embedded in the war.
