Pakistani journalist escapes from captivity of kidnappers

A senior reporter of a mainstream English daily of Pakistan -- The News, Javed Afridi escaped from captivity of the kidnappers Saturday and reached home safe and sound. Armed men had kidnapped him near Zangli checkpoint on Kohat Road when he was on way to his home from office at around 11 p.m. on September 24. The car of the journalist was found abandoned the next day in the Mata Bachay area near Frontier Region Peshawar. A complaint was lodged with the Badhber Police Station on September 25. However, the entire government machinery and the security agencies failed to find any clue to the missing journalist for 25 days. Besides, not a single senior police officer or government official, except provincial information minister, bothered to contact the family or office of the journalist. The staff members of 'The News', while congratulating the family of Javed Afiridi, thanked all the friends and well-wishers, who had expressed their concern and had made efforts for his safe recovery. The Khyber Union of Journalists, the Peshawar Press Club and the Crimes Journalists Forum felicitated the family and colleagues of the journalist. At the same time, the journalists expressed concern over the law and order situation across the province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, especially threats to the journalist community, and urged the federal and provincial governments to provide complete security to journalists of the area so that they could perform their duties without any fear.