Who did it and why?

The whereabouts of the Polish engineer remain unknown at this time. The Pakistanis shot by gunmen were FC guard Muhammad Saleem, driver Anayatullah and his assistant Riaz. Their bodies were taken to a local hospital in Attock town for post-mortem, and then returned to the company’s camp.    So far, no person or organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.   Yacoob Malik of “Dawn” daily wrote on Monday:  “Local people said that the engineer might have been taken to tribal areas near Kohat, about 25km from the camp.” The incident occurred some 85-120 km from Islamabad, in the area of Pakistan inhabited mainly by Pashtu nationals. The area is located close to the boundary of North West Frontier Province, where pro-Taliban militants seized two Chinese telecommunication engineers in late August.   Provincial Police officer, Mr Durrani, said it was strange that a foreign technician was sent to the field camp located in a deserted area early in the morning. The camp was without proper security arrangement. Other police officials told media that foreign companies conducting oil exploration and other activities in the district had been cautioned by the government a number of times to make proper security arrangements, particularly during their staff’s movement (Malik, Dawn). "Attackers seized the Polish employee and shot dead his Pakistani driver and guards when they tried to put up resistance," a senior police official said on condition of anonymity. Somehow, the news of the attack had been reported to a local police station, probably by a Pakistani guard or driver, before they lost their lives in gunfire. Peter Stanczak worked for the Poland-based Geofizyka Krakow Ltd, which is exploring natural resources reservoirs in Basal area. Many foreign companies are drilling for oil and gas in Attock, where they have their own security staff in addition to local police and a small contingent of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force. Foreigners and diplomats in Pakistan are feeling at risk as the insurgents have intensified their attacks on "high-value targets" to avenge military operations in the restive northwestern regions, as well as in other parts of the country (Indo-Asian News Service.)  

Prospecting for oil and gas in Pakistan

  Geofizyka Krakow (GK) is one of the two largest Polish companies of this type (the other is Geofizyka Torun (GT), in Northern Poland). Since 1956, Geofizyka Krakow has been helping its clients to successfully explore hydrocarbon and geothermal water deposits, as well as monitor natural resources reservoirs throughout the world. The Polish company maps the world’s basins using the latest technology and highest qualified staff. It is GK’s main preoccupation to sustain close partnership with their clients. This is managed effectively through GK foreign branches duly registered in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Pakistan and Libya. In Pakistan, equipped with a brand new set of vibrators Sercel Nomad 65, Geofizyka Kraków (GK) commenced 3D Soghri seismic survey, a large project that covers more than 600 sq. km and use 2688 of active channels, what makes it probably the largest seismic venture in Pakistan. The operation is running in agricultural terrains that require particular care and effort to minimize possible damage occurrence. The contract is performed for Oil & Gas Development Company Limited – a Pakistani national oil corporation with whom GK strengthened the cooperation through several projects during its almost 10-year activity in the Pakistani oil and gas market.   Since 1998 when the company set its foreign branch in Islamabad, many geophysical surveys have been successfully performed for international and local clients. Up to date GK has been specialized especially in explosive seismic projects performed in difficult terrain conditions of mountainous areas with limited access for heavy track equipment. From the beginning of the year 2008, GK has widened its vibroseis services offer and has become the only contractor performing vibroseis operations exceeding 60, 000 lbs peak force.  

A brave man

Polish media are still hiding the identity of the captured engineer. They claim that is for security reasons. But the hiding game has caused strange reactions. Some readers of a major Polish Internet magazine, [url=http://www.onet.pl]http://www.onet.pl[/url] wrote that (Mr. Piotr Stanczak) might be an agent of the Polish Military Intelligence under engineer’s cover and that he might have been kidnapped by Taliban or al-Qaeda operatives for that reason. What nonsense! As his name has been already revealed by Pakistani and world media, there is no reason to keep it under the carpet.   Mr. Piotr (Peter) Stanczak, from a historical southern Polish city of Krakow (Cracow), is a sporting man in his 40s, with a long professional record working abroad. His sister reported to Polish media that her brother was due to return to Poland at the end of October. “He never said it was dangerous in Pakistan. He said all was OK,” she added, telling of his last cell phone call made on Saturday, two weeks ago. “My brother is a brave, resolute man. But I don’t know how he could react now, how he might feel.” In a short interview for a Polish private television channel TVN-24, his sister, older than him and also living in Krakow, told a TV reporter that her only brother was a “tough man” but “a much loved brother” and he was helping her and their ill mother. In an other TV program, his neighbor said Mr. Stanczak had built a nice house and planted beautiful trees. She also added he helped her family in some difficulties. “He is calm and rational”, she added, and “he can manage in all situations.” On Monday afternoon, September 29, there was still no breaking news about the kidnapped engineer. The President of Geofizyka Krakow Ltd., Mr. Leopold Sulkowski, told Polish media that they expect some news tomorrow morning. The company HQ is in permanent contact with their subsidiary in Islamabad and with the field camp northwest from the capital. There are still 18 Polish workers there, who remain under the protection of the Pakistani Army. Due to the Sunday incident, the contract might be suspended and they would return to Poland, when the situation is safe enough to fly.  

No rescue by force planned

  Ever since the Sunday kidnapping the Polish authorities were negotiating Mr. Stanczak’s rescue with the top Pakistani authorities, the military and intelligence. Rumors were circulated about a planned use of a Polish special task force GROM, deployed in Afghanistan, but the Polish Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Bogdan Klich, strongly denied them. . A crisis control group had been organized in the MFA, and the Polish Ambassador in Pakistan, Mr. Krzysztof Debnicki, recently met with the Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The Pakistani authorities are giving all possible assistance to the Polish counterparts and they have organized a search and rescue operation themselves.   The situation is developing.