Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison - I
Faizullah Khan was detained by Afghan authorities in eastern Nangarhar province in April 2014.
Part - 1: (Intriguing account of a Pakistani journalist captured in Afghanistan for interview of Taliban leadership)
(Web Desk) - Suddenly everything changed. Police officials standing on both sides of the bridge whistled strongly to stop the cars and pointed their machine guns towards us.
All this happened in a dramatic way as the official of Afghan intelligence was shouting angrily on his wireless set. He was extremely furious and was speaking something in Persian.
The words which I understood were ‘camera’, ‘microphone’, ‘Pakistani’ and ‘spy’.
The moment I heard those words I felt that everything is about to finish. I can actually view an end to my life.
I looked down from the bridge where there was no water and no way for me to escape somewhere.
One of the two Taliban members who were with me, tried to contact his commander but the Afghan police official roared at him badly and ordered us to raise our hands and shirt at once.
The officials wanted to confirm that we were not wearing any explosive jacket.
I started reciting Kalma as I seemed to believe that my dead body will be here after a few moments.
The situation transformed rapidly and when my senses resumed, I thought about my news going on air on Pakistani news channels: “Terrorist attack on Lalpura checkpost, three Pakistanis killed, cameras, mobile phones and internet device recovered.”
The instant I was thinking about all this, three cars of intelligence authorities reached the scene.
One of the police official came forward and interrogated me about my whereabouts.
I answered apologetically that my name is Faizullah Khan.
In reaction, the official got angry and ordered me to keep quiet but I went on to clarify myself:
“I am a Pakistani journalist and came here to interview TTP leadership.”
These words of mine fell on them like a bombshell as they have not hoped that I will demonstrate such candidness.
He at once took out his mobile and dialled a number on which he was giving my details to someone.
After talking for about five minutes on the phone, he ordered his officials to handcuff me on my back. They then covered mine and two of the Taliban members’ faces completely with a black cloth and seated us behind a double cabin.
The intense heat and cloth on my face made it difficult for me to breath. I can feel the pain of gunpoint at my back.
After ten minutes we were transferred to a large compound which was the district headquarter near a river flowing at Nangarhar.
Sometimes ago I had admired the beauty of this place and had wished to be photographed here.
My wish had certainly came true but in the most horrific manner.
The intelligence officials locked us all in a cell where instead of a floor, stones were placed everywhere. The walls were made of red bricks and two wrecked beds having two pillows were placed which were stinking to a great extent.
Jalalabad is extremely hot in summer and intense cold in the winters.
I was detained in summers on April 22, 2014 and was locked in such a cell having no fan and light.
I had the interview of the Taliban leaders in a USB which was hid in my socks.
The two Taliban members arrested with me were quite calm as compared to myself and assured that we will be freed after negotiation between the authorities.
But I felt the opposite as I was sure that this matter will be protracted.
The coming days certainly justified my worst fears.
Read the Urdu version here: Five months in Jalalabad prison
