Pakistan's Amjad Hafeez Set Free by Captors in Iraq
Pakistan Times Special Report

IBAGHDAD (Iraq): Amjad Hafeez, Pakistani citizen, who was kidnapped in Iraq has been released by his captors.

Amjad was working as a driver in a company of Kuwait and he was picked-up from Balad on Sunday. Thereafter, the kidnappers demanded release of their associates jailed in Iraq in exchange of Amajad Hafeez’s life as they threatened to kill him otherwise.

Side-by-side the people of Pakistan, President General Pervez Musharraf had also appealed to the kidnappers to free Amjad Hafeez.

The mother of Amjad Hafeez’s and his other kin expressed their profound delight on the release of Amjad and thanked the media its’ efforts for the release of their dearest one.

Perspective: Kidnappers Warn to behead Amjad

Earlier, an armed group holding a Pakistani hostage had threatened to behead the captive within 72 hours unless prisoners are released in Iraq.

The Dubai-based satellite news channel, Al-Arabiya television had shown, this week-end four hooded gunmen standing behind a man who was described as a Pakistani employee.

A member of the group, reading a statement, contended they captured the Pakistani who worked at a US base in Balad, 75 kilometers [45 miles] north of Baghdad, and threatened to kill him within three days unless local detainees were freed.

"We will wait three days (and if our demands are not met), we will behead him," the person had warned.

Video Footage

The news channel had also telecast footage of four armed men standing behind a seated man presumed to be the Pakistani employee.

The ID of the Pakistani was shown, naming him as Yousf Amjid, an employee of US contractor Kellogg Brown and Root.

Amjad's Appeal

In another segment of footage, the hostage had traveled to Iraq from neighboring Kuwait in search of work.

Amjad called on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to close his country's embassy in Baghdad and to repatriate all Pakistanis, while urging compatriots to stay away. "There is no work here. I ask you not to come," he said.

The Al-Jazeera network said the group claimed it infiltrated a Marine outpost, took the man outside and kidnaped him. The station said the group demanded the release of all Iraqis “in occupation jails” or the man would be killed.

The Group Identifies

The group identified itself as “Islamic Response,” the security wing of the “1920 Revolution Brigades” referring to the uprising against the British after World War-I.

Reaches Kuwait

Amjad Yusef Hafeez, a worker for KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, who was abducted last Friday in Iraq, is now in Kuwait.

"It is great news for us and our nation," said an official with the Pakistan Embassy in Baghdad.

KBR Reax

KBR issued a statement saying it "is very pleased and relieved to learn" about the release, which came on the same day abductors released two Turkish hostages.

Insurgents had threatened to behead Hafeez unless the United States released all prisoners in Iraq and Pakistan's President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, closed the country's embassy in Baghdad.

A videotape provided to a cable network and other news channels over the weekend, the kidnapped man is shown surrounded by masked men brandishing AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Hafeez was a driver employed in Kuwait who was ferrying supplies to the Iraqi city of Balad.

The Pakistani's captors said they were following in the footsteps of the militant group Unification and Jihad, which is blamed in the killings of South Korean translator Kim Sun-Il and American businessman Nicholas Berg.

Amjad Speaks to Family

Hafeez's uncle, Nasir Shaheen told 'Pakistan Times' from his abode in Azad Kashmir that the family talked to Hafeez and want him to return home, at least for a visit.

In its statement, KBR said it has "lost 41 personnel while performing services under our contracts in the Kuwait-Iraq region." It says there are no details available on two other missing workers, Tim Bell and William Bradley.

Musharraf Greets Nation

President Pervez Musharraf has congratulated the entire nation for release of Amjad Hafeez, who was abducted and threatened with beheading by insurgents in Iraq has been released.

The president also extended greetings to Hafeez’s mother and his family.

President Pervez Musharraf said: “To butcher any innocent person is not only an inhumane act but also averse to Islamic teachings.”

When asked how did he see Pakistan’s entry into ASEAN, He told it was a matter of glad.●