Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison - XIV
Faizullah Khan was detained by Afghan authorities in eastern Nangarhar province in April 2014.
Part - 14: (Intriguing account of a Pakistani journalist captured in Afghanistan for interview of Taliban leadership)
Read Part - 13 here: Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison – XIII
As I walked out from the intelligence rooms I got answers of all my questions. A foreigner with a card of United Nations Human Rights Organization was present there who introduced himself as Benjamin, “I am representative of United Nations and an Australian citizen.”
I narrated my whole story to him in English. Benjamin looked to me as a kind person. He took important notes while listening to me. When he had listened to all my details, I was atleast sure of one thing that my death will not go in vain as UN has been informed of my issue.
“I cannot forget these harsh memories and I will certainly write a book on it,” I said to him. “I am sure that the book will be a best seller,” he replied. I was feeling nice while talking to him. “In our country, book reading is rare but they are gifted more often,” I told him.
“You will get freedom one day and then you will remember that I came to meet you in this difficult hour,” he assured me. The conversation ended and we were absolutely silent for the next five minutes.
“I cannot forget these harsh memories and I will certainly write a book on it,” I said to him. “I am sure that the book will be a best seller,” he replied. I was feeling nice while talking to him. “In our country, book reading is rare but they are gifted more often,” I told him.
“We both should return to our tasks now. Your time is precious as you are here for a significant cause,” I suggested to him. “We can sit here for some more time so that you can breathe in fresh air. Here is my visiting card. You can contact me whenever you want to.” I returned the card to him with thanks. “It is not appropriate for me to take this card in such a situation. I don’t want to get into any more trouble as I get searched on a regular basis.”
“We visit the detention centers across the country on daily basis and allocate data by gathering information especially of foreigners so that we can help them. During the meeting with the prisoners they inform us about the illicit behavior they go through on which action is also carried out.”
His words were proved the next day when a doctor came to examine my ear. He prescribed me some medicines which were bought by my money kept in the custody of Afghan officials. I felt relief after ten days. Before my meeting with Benjamin I was never referred to any doctor despite of the fact that everyday a doctor came in the jail to examine the prisoners.
Every prisoner who was transferred to jail from the cell underwent extreme happiness. He use to greet everyone aloud and say that the next meeting will be held in jail’s open atmosphere.
It was a torment to live in a small cell and that too without any fan in such intense heat. The jail authorities once provided a specific uniform for the detainees but it was made of such rough and coarse cloth that I preferred to wear my dirty clothes instead.
Every prisoner who was transferred to jail from the cell underwent extreme happiness. He use to greet everyone aloud and say that the next meeting will be held in jail’s open atmosphere.
Nevertheless, there was still no freedom in the jail but it can be considered a part of the free world as compared to this hellish cell. Intelligence officials use to count the prisoners on day to day basis which was called “Maujudi”. This process continued until the day of release. It was another agonizing matter to report three times a day and was necessary for every prisoner in any circumstance.
Read the Urdu version here: Five months in Jalalabad prison
