Pak Taliban to punish abducted AP journalist for breaching ban after interrogation

Peshawar, Dec.31 (ANI) : Refusing to release the abducted journalist Mohammad Rashid, who is associated with the Associated Press (AP), the North Waziristan Taliban has said that Rashid is being interrogated to ascertain his motives behind coming to Miramshah.

Rashid was kidnapped by the extremists on Sunday while taking pictures of Miramshah bazaar.

It may be noted that the Taliban has banned filming of the area.

A self-proclaimed Taliban spokesman, Ahmadullah Ahmadi said Rashid was detained as he had violated the ban, and is being interrogated.

Ahmadi said the journalist has been kept at a safe and comfortable place and was being looked after properly, and would be released but not without punishing him for violating the ban.

"If we are convinced that he is a genuine journalist, we will definitely release him but after punishing him for violating the ban," The News quoted Ahmadi, as saying.

The Taliban in North Waziristan are also holding a 55-year-old female Canadian journalist, Khadija Abdul Qahar, who was abducted in November 2008. (ANI)