Islamabad : Pakistani militants have released seven teachers they had kidnapped during an anti-polio drive in the country’s restive northwest, according to a media report on Tuesday.
The banned Lashkar-e-Islam, which is based in Bara area of Khyber Agency, on Monday released all teachers of a private school it had abducted after questioning them for four days regarding their involvement in the polio vaccination campaign. Initial reports had said 11 teachers were kidnapped but officials later clarified only seven had been abducted.
Hira Public School principal Mohammad Qasim, who was among the abducted teachers, said he and his colleagues were set free by the Lashkar-e-Islam. He said they had reached their homes.
Though the outlawed group did not claim responsibility for the kidnappings, its involvement in the act was an open secret in Bara, including among officials of the political administration.
