Lakki Marwat: Grand Jirga held for recovery of abducted miners

LAKKI MARWAT: A grand Jirga, convened by the Abashahid Khel tribe, has been held to discuss the recovery of the remaining nine abducted miners from Lakki Marwat area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reportedly abducted 16 employees of the Atomic Energy Commission. As per reports, the militants have released a video of the abducted staffers stating that they will be released in exchange for the release of TTP prisoners in Pakistan’s jails.

According to security officials quoted by the AP news agency, the mining project where the men worked is related to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, though the abducted workers are not its employees. They said an operation is still underway to recover the remaining workers.

The abduction happened in the Qabul Khel Atomic Energy mining project in Lakki Marwat. The vehicles that the employees were using were set ablaze by TTP militants.

Security forces managed to recover eight of the abducted employees during a rescue operation lon Thursday evening. However, nine employees are still in the custody of the kidnappers.

In order to secure the release of the remaining employees, a grand Jirga was held which was attended by elders from the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, the Begukhel tribe, and the families of the abducted employees.

Eight kidnaped miners rescued in Lakki Marwat, eight still missing

It was decided that a meeting with the commanding officer of the Pakistan Army, the Deputy Commissioner (DC), and the District Police Officer (DPO) will be held today at 3 PM to discuss the issue.

“We demand the safe recovery of our abducted employees by tomorrow,” speakers emphasised during the jirga.

 The speakers warned that if the abductees are not rescued by tomorrow, they would take strict action.

“If the government cannot ensure the safety of its employees working on such an important project, what hope does the general public have?” the speakers questioned.

The jirga demanded that once the remaining abductees are recovered, they should be immediately handed over to their families.

Security forces managed to recover eight of the abducted employees during a rescue operation last evening. However, nine employees are still in the custody of the kidnappers.