Gilgit-Baltistan senior minister back home after being abducted

Gilgit-Baltistan Senior Minister Colonel (retired) Abaid ullah Baig, who was abducted earlier by armed men, is now back home, Geo News reported Saturday.

According to police sources, the GB senior minister and two foreigners had been abducted earlier from Babusar Road while going to Gilgit from Islamabad.

Sources had said  that the kidnappers  had demanded the release of their jailed accomplices.

GB senior minister Colonel (retd) Abaid ullah Baig was elected from Hunza 6 on a PTI ticket.

Earlier, former GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq had said he had  spoken to  Baig and talks were under way for the release of the GB senior minister. 

Faizullah had said he was present at the Jirga where negotiations were held with militants.

“Religious figures and elders are also here in Thak Jal,” he had added.

What happened?

Sources privy to the matter claimed that GB's senior minister was released after successful negotiation with the abductors.

Relatives of six prisoners of Gilgit jail who were handed down jail terms on different charges blocked Shahra-e-Babusar to press authorities for their release, Geo News reported.

Babusar Road is one of the major arteries linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with GB.

Baig, who was travelling in a government vehicle, was also stuck in a traffic jam near Chilas. He was on his way from Islamabad to Gilgit.

Meanwhile, unidentified armed men arrived there and took him to a house. Later, he was shifted to another place.

Following this, local religious scholars and Jirga in Diamir intervened and contacted his abutters. After two-hour-long negotiations, the militants agreed to release the minister.

The militants were demanding the government release the six prisoners and impose a ban on women’s sports. His abductors handed him a paper inscribed with their demands.