Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison - IX
Faizullah Khan was detained by Afghan authorities in eastern Nangarhar province in April 2014.
Part - 9: (Intriguing account of a Pakistani journalist captured in Afghanistan for interview of Taliban leadership)
Read Part - 8 here: Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison – VIII
Ehsanullah Ehsan revealed that Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman Khaleel, leader of banned outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, asked to be included in the committee but the offer was rejected by TTP as he had affiliation with ISI. TTP believed that Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman Khaleel wants to increase his lost fame by joining the committee.
TTP leadership also had an understanding that inclusion of Professor Ibrahim, Maulana Abdul Aziz, Imran Khan and Mufti Kafaitullah will make it easier to handle the Pakistani media during negotiations whereas factual account will also be presented due to contact with the parties.
During the initial meetings of the committee, member of Pakistani government Rustam Shah Mehmand and TTP leader Qari Shakeel Haqqani exchanged harsh words.
TTP holds a soft corner for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Ahl-e-Sunnat al Jamaat, Jamat-e-Islami whereas their attitude with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf was kept according to views of both the parties.
Rustam Shah Mehmand declared TTP’s attacks on Pakistan as illegitimate on which Qari Shakeel Haqqani stated that he should decide that whether he came here for talks or debate however; the topic changed after the interference of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq.
A statement from Ehsanullah Ehsan was also given in which it was said that 23 Frontier Corps officials have been killed who were in the custody of TTP’s Mohmand Chepar wing. The truth was that they had been killed before but no announcement was made in this regard.
TTP released this statement at this stage of negotiations due to their own security concerns as they felt that Pakistan will demand their arrest. TTP holds a soft corner for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Ahl-e-Sunnat al Jamaat, Jamat-e-Islami whereas their attitude with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf was kept according to views of both the parties.
On the other hand, TTP considered Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Peoples Party and Awami National Party as their obvious enemies due to the reason that they led campaigns against them and cautioned people about them.
I reached TTP’s media centre at 4pm. After getting fresh and having a cup of tea Ehsanullah Ehsan asked me for a visit in the area. I had no reason of denial so I followed him.
We again sat in Ehsanullah Ehsan’s car and reached the riverside located at some distance from the village. It was a different experience for me to go through the opium fields. Afghanistan is considered as the most notorious country for opium cultivation. These fields were quite shocking for me as Afghan government claims that they have ended its cultivation.
Ehsanullah never forgot to carry his iPad with him on which he was capturing photos of Pakistani checkpost and the nearby areas.
I saved the views of the cultivation in my camera. One of the Taliban members was making the footage of our picnic in a very skillful manner. After sometime, more members of TTP reached with fruits and juice packets with them.
Ehsanullah Ehsan told me that the area at the other side was Pakistan. He said that Durand Line is divided in such a way that checkpost is not present at every place due to which it never occurs to anyone as when he crossed Pakistan’s boundary and entered Afghanistan.
However, from this area checkpost of Pakistan forces was clearly visible. Ehsanullah explained that they had to leave Pakistan due to the successive military operations and are now residing here in Afghanistan.
On the riverside, Taliban members held wrestling and marksmanship competitions in which their interest was worth watching. On this occasion, Ehsanullah never forgot to carry his iPad with him on which he was capturing photos of Pakistani checkpost and the nearby areas.
Maghrib approached during all these activities. After performing ablution we offered prayer and then started our return trip.
Read the Urdu version here: Five months in Jalalabad prison
