By: Vibhuti Pathak
Judge Shakirullah Marwat of a sessions court in South Waziristan, located in the north-western region of Pakistan, was abducted by militants and his car was set ablaze after the kidnapping. A video was released of the judge requesting the government asking the government to make sure the Taliban’s demands are accepted.
After an official complaint was filed, a team of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was assigned by the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to recover the judge. After a rigorous search, the judge was recovered safely. As per the reports, there have been many such attacks in Pakistan blamed on the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group.
The kidnapping incident:
On Sunday, when district and session court Judge Shakirullah Marwat of South Waziristan was travelling towards Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in north-west Pakistan. A troop of almost around 20 armed men on motorbikes intercepted their car at Garah Mohabbat Morr, forcing it to stop. They then opened fire on the vehicle. They kidnapped the judge as per the statement.
The gunmen blindfolded the driver and five of them boarded the judge’s car and drove away. Following this, an FIR was filed Marwat’s abduction was registered at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station on Sunday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other provisions.
In the FIR the driver Sher Ali Khan Mehsud stated that he along with Marwat was going to D.I. Khan from Tank when 25 to 30 people equipped with sophisticated weapons intercepted their car at Garah Mohabbat Morr, forcing it to stop. They then opened fire on the vehicle.
The FIR said that the kidnappers asked the driver to convey to the authorities that their relatives were kept in jail and they would release the judge if their demands were met but warned of serious consequences otherwise. Later, the kidnappers took away the judge on a motorcycle.
Viral video of Judge Marwat:
Later, a video was released where in the background with dark grey was used as a backdrop. He addressed the camera directly, although there were moments when he appeared to be making eye contact with other people. Male voices can be heard in the background. Where Marwat said “Taliban brought me here. It is a jungle and a war is going on.”
In the message, the sessions judge said his release was only possible if the militants’ demands were accepted. “I request the federal and provincial governments, chief justices of Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan to make sure the Taliban’s demands are accepted and my recovery is made sure as soon as possible,” he said.
The incharge of the case in Dera Ismail Khan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) started with a search operation for the judge and a counterterrorism team joined the investigation. Prior to his release, Marwat asked govt to accept kidnappers’ demands; the driver tells police abductors had warned of ‘serious consequences’
Marwat had appealed to the government and judiciary to accept the demands of his abductors after being kidnapped a day earlier. The joint investigation successfully recovered him. As per the sources during the joint operation of security forces, there was no loss of life or property. Even the CM Ali Amin Khan Gandapur directed the IGP to take measures for the safe recovery of the judge. “Steps should be taken on an emergency basis to recover the judge,” the chief minister said.
Successful recovery of the judge:
As per the sources reveal the abductee reached home safely after being recovered ‘unconditionally’. Information Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif later also confirmed the judge’s safe recovery.
According to the FIR, the kidnappers belong to different tribes, including Marwat, Mehsud, Gandapur and Afghans.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in violence, mostly blamed on the TTP, since the group unilaterally ended a cease-fire with the central government in November 2022. Last weekend, gunmen opened fire at customs officials, killing two and wounding three others in Dera Ismail Khan.
