Islamabad/Peshawar: A former ISI official
with close links to the Afghan Taliban has reportedly been
killed nearly ten months after he was kidnapped by militants
in Pakistan`s restive northwestern tribal belt.
Sultan Amir Tarar, better known as Colonel Imam, was
reportedly killed somewhere in the country`s northwest,
sources told PTI. Geo News quoted unnamed relatives of the
former ISI official as saying that they too had been informed
of his killing. There was no official word on the development.
Colonel Imam was kidnapped along with former ISI
official Khalid Khwaja, British journalist Asad Qureshi and
his driver in the tribal belt on March 26 last year.
They were travelling to Waziristan, where Qureshi
intended to work on a documentary film on the Taliban.
Khwaja was shot dead on April 30 last year by the
kidnappers, who accused him of working for the Pakistani
security establishment and the US.
The Asian Tigers, a hitherto unheard of group, had
claimed responsibility for kidnapping the four men.
Qureshi and his driver were released in September
last year apparently after the journalist`s family paid a
hefty ransom. The kidnappers had released several videos in
which Colonel Imam called on authorities to take steps for his
release.
At one time, Colonel Imam had close links with Aghan
Taliban chief Mullah Omar and several Afghan militant
commanders and tribal elders were reportedly involved in
negotiations for his release.
PTI
