Nepali languishing in Afghani jail recounts his story

KATHMANDU: Tilak Bahadur Thapa Magar, who was given a clemency by Afghan President Hamid Karzai last week, has said that the government should play crucial role for the rescue of Nepali migrant workers languishing in jails in different countries.

Magar, who was serving a 20-year jail term in Afghanistan for 27 months had arrived home on July 13 after Karzai granted clemency on the request of Nepal government.

He also thanked Nepal government for playing a parental role for his release.

Organizing a press conference at Reporters Club Nepal on Thursday, he said he was arrested by officials of Afghan Intelligence Organization on charge of spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Thapa was working as a security chief in a multinational company in Helmand Province of Afghanistan. The local and appellate courts had ordered 16 in jail to Thapa. However, the supreme court later fined 20 in year in jail.

Thapa said that Afghani national Muhammad Asgar working in the same company was arrested by the NDS who later supplied Thapa’s name for spying, paving a way for Thapa’s arrest.

He shared he was given extreme tortures in jail. “They were beyond telling,” Thapa recounted.

Thapa, a premanent resident of Tanahun, has expressed gratitude to then prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, then foreign affairs minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Nepali Ambassador to Pakistan Bharat Raj Poudyal, who is also accredited to Afghanistan mission, member of the National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan, YCL Tamuwan Coordinator Ktshiz Lamichhane and others who supported for his release.