Mother of kidnapped soldier seeks financial help to pay ransom

Via The News - CHITRAL: Mother of a Chitral Scouts' soldier, who was kidnapped by the Afghan militants in August last year after an attack on a security checkpost, has asked the well-off people to help her pay ransom to the militants for the safe recovery of her son.   Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she said her son along with another soldier was abducted by the Afghanistan-based militants after an attack on the Chitral Scouts' checkposts in Arandu some eight months ago. "They kidnapped two soldiers, Faqir Hussain and Tariq Jalal, who is her son, after the attack," she said, adding that the beheaded body of Faqir Hussain was found in Darashot forest near Chitral in December last year.   She said her son, Sepoy Tariq Jalal, was still in the custody of militants and they have been demanding Rs6 million ransom for his release. She claimed she had visited Nuristan province and met her son in the militants' custody.   "The militants told me that my son will be killed if the ransom was not arranged within eight days," she said. "I have tried to meet the officials of Chitral Scouts but to no avail," the soldier's mother said.   She added that she could not arrange the amount even if she sells all of her property. She appealed to the philanthropists to help her pay the ransom amount and secure the release of her son. Her account number in Khyber Bank Chitral branch is 11767-6.   Afghan militants had attacked five checkposts of the Chitral Scouts near the Afghan border on August 29, killing 30 personnel and kidnapping two soldiers including Tariq Jalal.   On the occasion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Chitral chapter president Abdul Lateef asked the government to play its role for the safe release of soldier. "Its astonishing that no efforts are being made for the release of the captive soldier despite repeated appeals by his family," he added.