QUETTA: Political parties of Balochistan on Thursday night demanded of the federal government to include the name of kidnapped Awami National Party (ANP) leader Arabab Zahir Kasi in exchange of prisoners' list with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Speaking to a press conference, leaders of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), National Party (NP) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) along with opposition parties including Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), ANP, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and JUI (Ideological) urged upon Islamabad to help the provincial government in an unhurt recovery of Arbab Zahir Kasi.
“Arbab Zahir Kasi has been shifted to a region where Balochistan government has no writ,” Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, the PML-N provincial president told reporters.
Armed gunmen abducted Kasi, central leader of ANP on October 23 last year from Patel road area of Quetta. His family has received telephone calls of kidnappers demanding heavy ransom for his release.
“We have also formed a committee, which will seek TTP's help to release Arbab Kasi,” said Zehri. He hinted that kidnappers might have shifted the ANP leader to Waziristan – a semi autonomous Pashtun tribal area bordering Afghanistan – after kidnapping him from the Balochistan capital.
The PML-N provincial chief stated that another committee comprising Opposition Leader in Balochistan Assembly Maulana Wasey, Information Minister Rahim Ziaratwal, Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, JUI (Idealogical) leader Maulana Abdul Qadir Looni and BNP-M leader Dr Jehanzaib Jamaldini will approach Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan with regards to the release of Arbab Zahir Kasi.
The provincial political leaders expressed serious concerns over the kidnapping of ANP leader and urged upon Islamabad to play its due role in his recovery. Both ruling and opposition parties had already met with President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in this regard.