The Hindu : Pak. prisoners released

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 05, 2002

International

International

Pak. prisoners released

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Sept. 4 . The third batch of 55 Pakistani prisoners arrived in the capital of the North- West Frontier Province, Peshwar, today after the transitional government led by Hamid Karzai released them from different jails in Afghanistan.

Most of those released had crossed over to Afghanistan to fight along with the Taliban and the al-Qaeda first against the Northern Alliance and then against the U.S.-led coalition forces after America launched its military operations in October last year.

Though an exact figure of the number of Pakistanis held in Afghan jails is not available, the International Red Cross has placed the number at 800. However, independent assessment suggests that the number could be much higher.

In his January 12 address to the nation, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, had banned a religious outfit that had goaded youngsters to cross over to Afghanistan to take part in a jihad (holy war).

He had also come down heavily on religious organisations that indulged in rabble-rousing, telling youth to wage wars in the name of Islam.

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