Pakistani Hostage Recounts his Experience Emily Rosuck

the son of a slain Pakistani politician, Shabaz Taseer recounts his experience as a hostage of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Known for being "ruthless, merciless, and the best fighters" Taseer recalls the IMU's torture tactics over his 5 years a hostage. He recounted that they would make "extravagant hollywood style home videos" to send to his family and the government to pressure them into meeting the IMU's ransom  demands. Taseer explain how their torture tactics consisted of pulling his fingernails out, lashing him with rubber whips 100-200 times, carve his back open with blades and then literally throw salt in the wounds, sewed his mouth shut and starved him, and cut flesh off his back, leaving him bleeding for seven days with no medication. How anyone could even remotely see the light in this horrendous circumstance is literally unbelievable, but Taseer credits his ability to withstand the torture through patience, strength of his faith, and random acts of kindness. He also said that hearing his mothers voice would send him some resolve, even though it was the IMU talking to her, not Taseer himself. When Taseer finally escaped, he was captured by the Afghan Taliban, who doesnt believe in ransom or kidnapping. Though he was sentenced to two years in prison, he was unexpectedly freed by an actual member of the Afghan Taliban. Later, when searching for his way home, he was mistaken for a member of the Taliban and was refused service; however, an actual member of the Taliban helped him by allowing Taseer to borrow his phone, "it's insane you can find humanity where there is none."

This circumstance is entirely disgusting, but unfortunately, Taseer's situation is not uncommon. Circumstances like these arise all the time in the Middle East, where almost every middle eastern country, besides Israel, is run by Sharia Law, and it is under this that militant groups like the IMU and the Taliban can ride to power. This situation can be synthesized to the Iranian hostage crisis that lasted 444 days, where Americans were imprisoned and tortured by the Iranian authority.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/16/asia/pakistan-hostage-life/index.html