§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Secretary of State for India whether any punishment has yet been inflicted on the Afridis who abducted the wife of an English officer from Peshawar two months ago?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe member of the gang who was arrested by the Militia has been tried and sentenced to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment under the Frontier Crimes Regulation. The identity of the remaining 17 members has now been ascertained, but as they belong to remote and inaccessible sections of the Afridi tribe residing in Tirah and the Bazar Valley, it has not yet been found possible to arrest them, or to bring adequate pressure to bear upon their sections. I can assure the House that the matter is ever present in the minds of the local authorities, who will not rest until they have exacted full reparation for the outrage. I am sure that hon. Members will appreciate the difficulties that have to be overcome.