PESHAWAR: The recovery of kidnapped Punjab Assembly member Rana Jamil Hassan on Monday night appears to be a tale of mystery and suspense.

At the Governor’s House here on Tuesday, Rana Jamil, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan and the relevant senior government officials had a big smile on their faces but no answers to the media’s questions about kidnappers and the administration’s efforts for the lawmaker’s recovery from the Taliban militants in Khyber Agency.

The MPA was kidnapped along with wife from a rest place on the motorway near Sial Mor, Sargodha Interchange on May 31 this year.

Read: PML-N MPA kidnapped

Kidnappers later dropped his wife and shifted him to an unidentified place.

The lawmaker was detained for more than six months. Kidnappers had demanded huge ransom from his family.

Governor Sardar Mahtab admitted that since this was an exceptional case, some compromises were made for the safe recovery of the abductee.

He told reporters at the Governor’s House on Tuesday that security forces recovered Rana Jamil from Shalman area near Afghan border and was brought to Landi Kotal.

“The government made all possible efforts for the recovery of the MPA,” he said without elaborating.

Recently, some high-profile kidnapped persons were recovered from tribal areas. However, there’re no specific details about the government’s efforts to recover abductees or conditions on which they were released.

Also read: VC Ajmal Khan swapped for three Taliban, TTP chief claims

Banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had released Islamia College University Vice Chancellor Ajmal Khan on August 28 and Awami National Party central leader from Balochistan Arbab Abdul Zahir Kasi on October 6.

However, the government had denied making deal with kidnappers and even the recovered persons also remained tightlipped.

After recovery of Ajmal Khan, TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah claimed in a video statement that three Taliban prisoners were released in exchange for Ajmal Khan.

According to MPA Rana Jamil, his captors detained him in Afghanistan and handed over to the Frontier Corps personnel on the bank of the River Kabul.

He said when his family refused to pay ransom, abductors handed him over to the Taliban.

Rana Jamil was all praise for Ahle-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat chief Maulana Mehmood Ahmad Ludhianvi and chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Samiul Haq for ‘using his good offices to ensure my safe recovery.’

“I am very thankful to Maulana Ludhianvi, who despite his old age traveled to the area more than 20 times and made efforts for my recovery,” he said.

The lawmaker also commended the role of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab and other officials for his safe recovery.

He also showered praise on Taliban militants for their hospitality and friendly attitude during captivity.

“They (Taliban) were very gracious, never misbehaved with me and even provided me with cigarettes during detention. All that is very unusual,” he said.

After praising the Taliban, the MPA, who seemed to share more about his days in captivity, did mention some demands for his release.

He said a senior Taliban militant told his captors one month ago to release him (Rana) and that militants demanded release of their fellows, who were in the government’s custody.

“Once the Taliban warned they would kill me if their associates were not freed,” he said.

Rana Jamil said the Taliban insisted they had kidnapped him because he had links with their enemies.

He said it was all because of the efforts of friends and government that he had come home safe.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2014