Four workers of the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) who had been kidnapped from Pishin in December last year were released by their captors on Sunday.
The workers were taken to the federal capital after being released from Waziristan Agency. They were then brought to Quetta on Sunday where there were a large number of relatives and friends waiting their arrival. One of the released hostages said that the kidnappers had kept them confined to one room throughout their ordeal.
Six officials of the BRSP were kidnapped by a group of armed men on Dec 13 from the Barshor area of Pishin district when they were returning to Quetta after inspecting a health project. The kidnappers’ group had demanded Rs230 million as ransom for their release and also the release of their associates who were jailed by authorities. Details were not immediately available as to which demands of the captors had been met.
Two officials were killed after the demands of the captors were not met. The BRSP and tribal elders had previously held talks with the kidnappers for the release of the officials, but talks did not succeed because the kidnappers had refused to reduce the ransom amount.
The provincial government, despite a call by members of the Balochistan Assembly, refused to arrange the ransom amount. Relatives of the kidnapped officials had set up a camp in Quetta to collect donations from people to pay ransom. However, despite launching a hectic campaign, they were able to collect only a meagre amount.