Peshawar: A series of actions taken by the political administration of the Frontier Region Kohat against the Akhorwal tribe of Darra Adamkhel for recovery of kidnapped vice-chancellor of Kohat University of Science and Technology Prof Dr Lutfullah Kakakhel has failed to bear any positive results except multiplying the miseries of the tribesmen.

The kidnapped senior academician is about to complete three months in captivity, but the authorities have failed to s recover him despite what they claim making their best efforts. Soon after the kidnapping of the vice-chancellor on November 6, 2009 from Akhorwal area in the gun-manufacturing Darra Adamkhel town, the political administration started a crackdown against the Akhorwal tribesmen under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

Scores of tribal people have so far been arrested and their properties in the semi-tribal region as well as settled areas of the country have been sealed. Tribal sources informed that 55 tribesmen had been detained. Seven among them were released after they allegedly bribed the officials in the political administration, the sources said.

Two days ago, three noted elders of the tribe, Malik Abdullah Jan, Malik Nadir Khan and Malik Hoora Jan, were arrested from Peshawar. When they were shifted to the prison on the premises of the office of assistant political agent, one of them Malik Abdullah Jan suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last. He was 90.

The tribal people were of the opinion that the government was well aware about the kidnappers of the vice-chancellor and even then action was being taken against the innocent tribesmen. They said the action would serve no purpose but multiply their miseries.

There is fear among the Akhorwal tribesmen. They have been confined to their houses. The time of students is going waste, the government and other employees have not been able to attend their duties and their business has come to a complete standstill because the authorities have sealed their business centres in the semi-tribal area as well as in Peshawar. Even if some centres have not been sealed, the tribesmen are unable to run their business for the fear of arrest.

The teachers, students and administration of different universities of the province have criticised the NWFP governor/chancellor of the public sector universities for his failure to recover the vice-chancellor. "If the chancellor cannot recover the head of a university, he has no right to remain in office. He should better resign as governor," said a senior academician of the University of Peshawar while requesting anonymity.

The university teachers are of the opinion that the government was in the know of the kidnappers of Dr Lutfullah, but it had not been able to take steps in the right direction and ensure his safe release. They say the authorities also know it very well that the common tribesmen are helpless against the still powerful militants.

According to sources, the vice-chancellor is in the captivity of Commander Tariq Afridi, who is based in Orakzai Agency. There were reports that he wanted to swap the academician for some of his fellow militants detained in Kohat prison.