CHARIKAR (Pajhwok): Eight election workers who were kidnapped on September 28 are still in Taliban captivity in the Shinwari district of central Parwan province.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) workers were abducted by Taliban in the Namak Aab area of the district on election day evening.
Well-placed sources confided to Pajhwok Afghan News the kidnapped election workers were residents of different areas of Shinwari district.
Qazi Aku Gul Ahmadi, the district’s administrative chief, said on Sept. 28 that votes cast at the Namak Aab polling station had been transferred to the Parwan capital.
Different sources have come up with conflicting views regarding the captivity of the kidnapped IEC workers.
Police chief Brig. Gen. Mohammad Mahfuz Walizada said: “The captors were supposed to free the IEC workers on payment of fine. But the amount of fine is yet to be ascertained.
“According to information we have, they (Taliban) want to fine the workers (for participating in the election process) before they are released.”
Abdul Qahar Wahab, the IEC head for Parwan, expressed concern at the uncertain fate of the workers. He said elders were mediating on the issue but Taliban had linked their release to orders from their leadership.
The district chief claimed the workers’ release had been delayed to differences among Taliban, “The elders met the head of the Taliban commission and pleaded for the release of the workers. But the Taliban leader refused to free them in return for money. He vowed to free them on Saturday, October 19.”
Mohammad Hamza, a resident of Qaul-i-Her area, told Pajhwok the Taliban were holding the captives in Shinwari district and were treating them well.
sa/mud