Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison - X
Faizullah Khan was detained by Afghan authorities in eastern Nangarhar province in April 2014.
Part - 10: (Intriguing account of a Pakistani journalist captured in Afghanistan for interview of Taliban leadership)
Read Part - 9 here: Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison – IX
I felt that the speed of Ehsanullah Ehsan s car was slow than usual. I asked the reason behind it and came through an interesting disclosure. TTP have established a regular department for their drivers from where they are issued licenses after initial test. The license is a computer print out on which the name of driver and signature of head of traffic commission is inscribed whereas on the back instructions for the driver are written.
According to the instructions, speed limit on paved road should be 80 kilometers per hour and 30 kilometers per hour on underdone routes but this speed limit was about those paths which have population residing around it. Ehsanullah Ehsan told me that this was made a rule because on unfinished roads dust rise more when a car is raced in speed affecting the citizens.
TTP was immensely happy from these circumstances as their basic agenda to harm a premiere intelligence agency ISI was being fulfilled.
He told me that he also remained the head of traffic commission during which he confiscated the car of Umer Khalid Kharasani and banned him for 15 days from driving after warning him two times of speeding. Later his drive was allowed to drive him to an immediate journey.
We reached the media centre after Maghrib. After dinner Ehsanullah watched talk shows. In thise days Hamid Mir had been attacked and the statement of his brother was broadcasted min which he had labeled the responsibility of the attack on Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. In such situation the talk shows have got a new topic to discuss.
TTP was immensely happy from these circumstances as their basic agenda to harm a premiere intelligence agency ISI was being fulfilled.
Although negotiations between Pakistani authorities and TTP were in progress but the media attention was deviated from it after attack on Hamid Mir.
The TTP media team not only get entertained from the talk shows but also record the statements of guests, political leaders and journalists appearing on the shows at various occasions.
Ehsanullah said that this whole scenario was heartening for them in a way that both media and intelligence agencies are against them, but now the way that their opponents are accusing each other is giving them satisfaction. In view of this situation, Ehsanullah explained that they will neither give any statement nor they will conduct any big operation so as to desist media attack.
He also happily exclaimed to me that this will increase their confidence. The TTP media team not only get entertained from the talk shows but also record the statements of guests, political leaders and journalists appearing on the shows at various occasions.
Read the Urdu version here: Five months in Jalalabad prison
