Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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This is utterly despicable behaviour, particularly for a former senior army officer. Colonal Imam, allegedly captured by terrorists 4 months ago, wants the government to release 160 terrorists to save his own life.

In a time when serving jawaans are risking and losing their lives every day in this war, he wants to save his life by releasing men who will no doubt get back to their own business of killing both our jawaans and our ordinary citizens. Either he is a coward, or he in in league with his alleged kidnappers.

Worse, this man is now blackmailing the government, saying that unless they release the 160 terrorists, thus saving his life, he will start spilling the state secrets that he is privy to.

I hope the government leaves him to rot whereever he is. Then again, he’s probably the esteemed guest rather than the prisoner of those who are holding him.

PESHAWAR: A former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) official, Col (R) Ameer Sultan alias Col Imam, who is in custody of militants for four months in North Waziristan, appealed to the president, prime minister and director general of the spy agency to accept demands of the militant organisation, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, to save his life.

He said his fate would be worse than that of the former Pakistan Air Force officer Khalid Khwaja, who also served in the ISI and was put to death by the same group of militants on April 28.

The militant organisation holding him and a British journalist, Asad Qureshi, Monday released videotape in which Col Imam was shown recording his written statement.

Col Imam, Khalid Khwaja and Asad Qureshi were kidnapped on March 26 from Mir Ali town in North Waziristan where they had gone to make documentary on Taliban and victims of the US drone attacks.

Initially, a little known militant organisation, Asian Tigers, had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and later set their terms for the release of the three kidnapped men.

On April 28, the militants shot dead Khalid Khwaja and placed his body on a road near Mir Ali town, threatening to kill the remaining two hostages if their demands were not accepted. The organisation had demanded a huge amount as ransom and release of 160 militants in exchange for Asad Qureshi and Col Imam.

In the new videotape, Col Imam said he was recording his statement on July 24. He complained he had become fed up with his life as he was being held in an underground cell. “I am in custody of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami led by Abdullah Mansoor. I sent several statements and CDs to the government but they did nothing for my release.

You know well about the mentality of this group. They can do anything at will. They killed Khalid Khwaja and they may give us a more severe punishment, which would be a big loss for Pakistan.

This group can not be pressured,” the former intelligence officer explained in the three-minute video, which was made available to The News. He said the militant organisation was very powerful and well organised.

He appealed to the president, prime minister, ISI director-general, Lt Gen (R) Hameed Gul and Gen (R) Mirza Aslam Beg to accept the demands of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami. “You people know about my services for this country and nation. If the government does not care for me, then I will not care for it and disclose its several weaknesses,” Col Imam said. He complained that he is in custody of the militants for four months but the government has done nothing for his release.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

What a load of Hocum!

If it’s true theres a few things i find alarming… firstly the group holding the man is made up of the worst kind of terrorists on earth becuase they are fundamentalist morons who lack the manpower to wage a proper war.

The media keeps going on about the TTP and the Taliban when groups like the scum here are probably the big culprits of such petty attacks we hear about.

Secondly the “Colonel” seems an idiot becuase i can say with confidence that he should not have been captured so easily in the first place… :smack:

As far as i know this is the first such capture and i’ve never heard of this “Colonel” which makes me think it’s all a lie.

Sad truth is the whole war and the Jawaans who fight it are always lied to.

If the story is true then it’s shamefull but i seriuosly doubt it is.

As for the group being powerfull and organised i seriously doubt it in fact i’d sayone battalion would be enought to finish them for good… the real truth is the governement of Pakistan is up to it’s nose in dealings with scumbags like those who are mentioned above.

The Army should just wise up and send in the Para Cammandoes to kill the whole lot of them including the colonel if he exists.

The whole story reminds me of a scumbag colonel i knew personally many years ago… that “colonel” rose to become a President and now dreams of returning to the role… the whole damn lot of them should be put against the wall.

These sickos always think of themselves before :jhanda:

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Oye! yeh phir pakra gaya???

First of all, isn't he the same guy who got caught some 4 months back and was released later after Khalid Khawajah was killed..

even if he is in the custody, let him die... more importantly, we need to send this message to the terrorists that we are ready for the death of Col. Imam and they should be ready for the death of their 160 men who are in the custody of the govt.

Moreover, they need to bombed and destroyed and there should be a lesson for others, so that no body gets in kidnapping business..

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Agreed.^

Mr Hannibal your right i think it’s the same fellow in the prior saazish or it’s all lies :hmmm:

For startes to date no ISI colonel has ever been captured why would they send out a colonel without supporting operatives? Unless they took the idiot from his own home but still security?

Anyway none of it makes sense to me anyhow… trust me forget the rangers and the regular army or police Pakistan has enough trouble already and doesn’t need to sacrifice more lives just send in one unit to take out all the tanzeem and if theres any suspicion this so called colonel’s leaked anything kill him and all his captors.

Simple solution i’m sure someone at the top has to give the green light but the rest is certian death for anyone who gets in the way of the Law of Pakistan.

However wether the top army brass or the slimmy politicains have the brains and the balls to send in the boys to do the dirty work is another matter. :smokin2:

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

^^ he is retired col. not on duty, last time he was captured when he went to meet them...

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it is Hanibal only no Mr. needed…!!!

when military march towards their location, their co-called enemies ( US forces) let them in the Afghanistan and have them their until Pak-Army moves back.. that is why it is said many times that untill US is there in Afghanistan.. we cannot solve this problem completely…

The sooner US leaves, the sooner we’ll be able to eliminate these scumbags…

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Colnel Imam retired in the 90s, he's an old man now. He's been in the news a lot over the past decade; he was the army officer who was tasked by Pakistan with setting the Afghan Taliban in the 90s (he helped Mullah Omar's movement get organized and develop the tactics that enabled them to take over so fast).

He became a very keen supporter of the Taliban, ppoular with them, and thus in retirement became useful to Pakistan as an agent to liaise with the Taliban. He became very bitter when Pakistan stopped supporting the Taliban in 2001 and became more of an unofficial media pundit, occasioanlly offering up his views on why the Taliban should be supported. He was never willing to let go of his baby.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

@Hanibal..he was never released, they changed there mind at last minute..

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Now what is the role of Hamid Mir ?
Find him somewhere
He should be somewhere in this game.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

the old man should be left to die. though I personally think he is lying and he is in cahoots with these terrorist thugs.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Let the mofo die.

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He is in what with terrorists? oh, you mean 'collusion'.
all right.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Let us all say goodbye and good riddance to the Col & no terrorist should be released for his return. In fact, lets make a deal with terrorists and give the Hamid Gul as bonus. :D

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I dont think the government will or should save him, let him die at the hands of his monsters, who he supports till this day.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

Col Imam went to talibs on his own, he is a known talib sympathizer..let him rot.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

I have no sympathy for jihadi patrons like Col. Imam but this is a logical thing for him to say to save his life. He has done many dirty deeds for the country, so he cannot be expected to keep secrets when his life is threatened. If he is killed, don't be surprised if a video tape comes out with scandalous allegations.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

If he was a true patriot, he would rather die than unleash 160 terrorists upon his country.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

No dont release 160 terrorists for the life of one traitor

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there are three things that stand out for me:

1) Col Imam:

shame on this pseudo soldier. what kind of a soldier threatens to sell out his country when under threat? the first thing soldiers are taught is to to sacrifice anything for the country. heck you don't even have to be a soldier to have this feeling. our civilians have set such examples of patriotism and bravery especially recently. look at the driver who saved the Sri Lankan team. look at the civilians who are fighting the bearded criminals everywhere.

yet this Col Imam jackass is threatening to sell out his country if not freed. well, go to hell you senile old fool. Pakistan is better off without traitors like you.

2) Aslam Beg:

both Khawaja and Col Imama apparently went there on the advice of Aslam Beg. it was about time this man was questioned about his agenda and where his loyalties lie. every time there is something fked up happening anywhere, Beg is in the middle of it. why did he tell them to go meet these militants? and what for?

he should be questioned.

3) Pak army:

is it not a tragedy that an army that set out to indoctrinate, manipulate and use others for its own purposes has lost its own people to the other side. instead of being able to use the militants the army's intelligence people created, its own people have either reversed loyalties to join the same militant organizations or at the very least their loyalty to the country is very suspect now. and what can be more shocking than a solider turning on his own country - the country he's sworn to protect and die for?

I've always found Col Imam with his stupid getup laughable. but there have been cases of former armymen even at the rank of major who've been found not only training but fighting with terrorist organizations AGAINST the Pak army itself. how's that for biting the hand that feeds you?

it is time for a serious rethink for the Pak army to figure out the traitors amongst its midst - both serving and former officials - and to bring them to task before it is too late.

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Re: Col Imam demands Goverment cave in to terrorists to save his life

so why cant they just shoot captured terrorists in the leg, and then implant GPS tracking beacon in the leg, dude thinks its just the bullet wound, then release them as some sort of bargain agreement, and then lob some rockets at the GPS beacon coordinates later, may even take more of the terrorists out at the same time.