January
28, 2008
Militants take Pakistani Children Hostage
for Several Hours
Islamabad
Islamic militants Monday took dozens of school children hostage in
the North West Frontier Province for several hours during a failed
attempt to kidnap a government official, and released them after
being given safe passage.
"Two local religious leaders held negotiations with the insurgents
and on their request we called back all security troops who were
surrounding the building," said Dar Ali Khattak, the police chief in
Bannu District.
The militants left the building and freed all the school children
and teachers after they were given safe passage to the nearby tribal
area, he added,
Six to seven criminals kidnapped a district health officer in Karak
area of Bannu district, some 200 km from North West Frontier capital
Peshawar, together with two vehicles, but security forces exchanged
fire with the kidnappers and freed him.
One attacker was killed in the exchange, which also left three
security personnel wounded. All the children remained safe.
Later, the militants stormed a primary school in the nearby village
of Domail and took hostage around 270 students and teachers.
Initially, they threatened to blow up the school building with the
hostages if they were not given the safe passage, but with the
assistance of local religious leaders the administration managed to
secure the release of the children.
President Pervez Musharraf, in London, confirmed the release. "These
children have been released and it has been confirmed just now," he
said during a joint press briefing with British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown.
"They were extremists who were being chased and took refuge in the
school. But they really did not go for taking children hostage."
"It was accidental that they entered the school to hide themselves
but in the process they took the students hostage. But finally the
issue has been resolved peacefully and the children are free,"
Musharraf said.
Describing the incident as a desperate act of the militants, he
promised to go hard against them in the future. Brown said he hoped
that such an incident "would not happen again".
The hostage drama is the first of its nature in the ongoing conflict
between Islamic extremists and the Musharraf's government.
Dozens of parents waited anxiously for the safe freedom of their
children for hours outside the school.
Pro-Taliban militants from the neighbouring restive tribal region
bordering Afghanistan routinely launch raids in the Bannu district
on security officials and state installations.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
