Journalist Inamullah Mehsud was abducted from Tank in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and released through a settlement mediated by a jirga (a council of local tribal elders).
According to The News, eyewitnesses had said that “heavily armed, masked individuals” had entered Inamullah’s home, and taking him at gunpoint, they had shifted him to an unidentified location. His brother was cited saying that the family had not had any contact with him adding that they were fearful it was due to his reporting.
“He was covering sensitive issues and had received threats in the past.” his brother, Anis Mehsud was quoted saying.
According to Dawn, the Upper South Waziristan District Press Club had earlier issued a 24-hour ultimatum for Mehsud’s recovery, warning that they would launch a protest movement if he wasn’t recovered in 24 hours.
Speaking to PPF, after his return, Inamullah detailed his abduction on the night of April 12, when a large group of armed men stormed his home. Some were masked and dressed in traditional attire, and they fired gunshots outside the house before forcefully taking him after confirming his identity.
Inamullah said he was moved to multiple locations and was subjected to both physical and psychological torture. The journalist reported that his abductors spoke in an unfamiliar language and, after failing to communicate, handed him over to another group. This second group demanded his family’s contact information and accused Inamullah of reporting against them, showing a screenshot of his post. They demanded a ransom of Rs10 million, which was later reduced to Rs3 million.
Despite being forced to share his mobile password, Inamullah refused to give up his brother’s contact information.
He shared that after days in captivity, he was brought before a jirga, where members of the South Waziristan Press Club, including President Hayat Khan Mehsud and General Secretary Waseem Mehsud, negotiated a compromise for his release.
District Press Club South Waziristan President Hayat Khan told PPF that Inamullah was illegally detained for three days, tortured mentally, and his brother was asked to pay a ransom just to harass him. When Inamullah’s brother contacted the press club, Hayat Khan intervened and went to the jirga to look into the matter. Hayat Khan managed to get Inamullah released on the condition that he would not do such reporting in the future.
