Summary Faizullah Khan was detained by Afghan authorities in eastern Nangarhar province in April 2014.
Part - 26: (Intriguing account of a Pakistani journalist captured in Afghanistan for interview of Taliban leadership)
Read Part - 25 here: Five months of Pakistani journalist in Jalalabad prison – XXV
A small laundry room was present in the jail and was run by a Pakistani prisoner. He was detained here on visa issues. The laundry was actually owned by the block incharge who received a reasonable amount monthly for the place. The laundry which was made of rough tents had a washing machine placed in it from where the prisoners were provided with clean ironed clothes at Rs50 each.
The place was suitable for me in a way that I used to spend my time here in peace. Sometime when all the prisoners were locked up in their cells I used to stay here to pass my time. The prisoners usually talked about their appearance before the court, charge sheet and punishments awarded to them. The old prisoners guided the new ones regarding the phases they have to go through.
On the day of hearing, police officials used to call names of prisoners on the loudspeakers installed outside the barracks. Before going to the court, the detainess asked others to pray for them.
Different types of prisoners lived in our block among which one was an army brigadier. He had also got training from Russia. Initially he was a stern communist but with the passage of time his thoughts had not remained intense. He was detained here alongwith his son due to a family dispute.
Hazrat Ameen was an intelligent person and used to solve the matters with immense discernment. He told me that my case was far more dangerous therefore I should act carefully.
Another 21-year-old prisoner named Jawad was detained in the jail for kidnapping his cousin for ransom and then later killing her brutally. His father was an employee in the intelligence but despite of this Jawad was not only arrested but was sentenced for 33 years by the preliminary court. His father and brother were also detained in the case but were released afterwards when nothing was proved against them.
I also met Hazrat Ameen here. He was basically a Pakistani but he had proved himself Afghan by making use of his great skills due to which his matters were now quite simplified. We shared a great bond of friendship. He had much love for Pakistan and hated India with almost the same intensity. Once he fell ill in the jail and was given Indian made medicine but he refused to eat it.
He was an intelligent person and used to solve the matters with immense discernment. He told me that my case was far more dangerous therefore I should act carefully.
Four Afghan brothers who used to sell Naswar were detained in the Jalalabad prison on the charges of terrorism but they got themselves free later after bribing the judges and intelligence authorities with US $10,000. Besides this two Iranians were also imprisoned there, one of whom felt great detest towards the Afghans while the other was an extremely noble person.
He also attended the prayer ceremonies of the Afghans and used to recite the Quran with them. However, the Afghans also never indulged into fight with them on the basis of their different sect.
Read the Urdu version here: Five months in Jalalabad prison
