Afghanistan sets up task force to trace BRO worker

Afghanistan on Monday night said it has constituted a special task force comprising military intelligence and police officials to ensure all necessary steps were taken for safety of Indians working there and also to trace the kidnapped Border Roads Organisation employee abducted by suspected Taliban.

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Afghanistan is doing its very best, President Hamid Karzai said during a meeting with India's Ambassador Rakesh Sood in Kabul. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed, who spoke to the Indian envoy from Lahore, told PTI that Afghanistan had promised to provide extra security to Indians stationed in that country.

In all, about 290 Indians are engaged in various projects in Afghanistan. Ahamed said that under the circumstances the Afghan government is doing whatever possible with the Indian mission in Kabul. Suspected Taliban, in Nimroze province of Afghanistan abducted M R Kutty, a driver with the Border Roads Organisation, on Saturday night along with three Afghan co-workers. A man claiming to be a spokesman of Taliban told an international news agency on Sunday that the Indian would be killed if his firm did not leave Afghanistan within 48 hours.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister spokesman Navtej Sarna said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed that "…all efforts be made in cooperation with Afghan authorities not only to seek the safe release and return of Kutty but also to ensure the safety of all Indian nationals currently deployed in Afghanistan on various projects."