A FILMMAKER has written a harrowing book detailing how he was captured and tortured by the Taliban as he was filming a secret peace-making initiative between the Taliban, the Pakistan authorities and the Western allies.

Fifty-nine-year-old Asad Qureshi's experiences in 2010 have been recounted in his book – 165 Days – which he admits was “terribly difficult” to write.

In March that year, Mr Qureshi, who grew up in Bradford from the age of nine and now lives in London, travelled to the heart of Taliban territory in North Waziristan to film the documentary.

But the search for peace became a living nightmare as he and his three colleagues Khalid Khawaja, Colonel Imam and Rustam Khan were betrayed and became captives of the Taliban who demanded a ransom of ten million US dollars for his release.

His book describes the isolation, trauma and fear he went through at the hands of violent thugs who shot dead one colleague and subjected another to a mock execution.

“I was tormented about what would happen but was unaware what was happening to the others. I did not know until afterwards that two of us had not survived. I know I am lucky to be alive,” he said.

He found himself in a filthy cell, handcuffed, savagely tortured, deprived at times of light and food, driven mad by mosquitoes, ants and cockroaches, with no hope of release and at times not expecting to survive the next hour.

“I had no idea what was going to happen to me. I only knew that I had to keep my mind. I would think of all sorts of things, from dreaming up a film and going through the names of people who would work with me, to naming as many vegetables and fruit as I could. It would have been very easy to give up. I came close to insanity but found it could be stared down.

“I was beaten and whipped and genuinely feared for my life. I would be forced to have my photograph taken holding a newspaper with that day’s date on it to prove to my family that I was still alive.

“I learned on the first day of captivity that the more you struggled the tighter your handcuffs became. But I also found that occasionally I could ask my captors to release them a couple of notches every now and then. They didn’t always respond. These were trained captors. They were brutal and without feeling.

“I began to write my story soon after I was released. Some days I would only write a line. It did not want to recount it but I knew it was important. It was terribly difficult to write.

“Reviews so far have been very good. It was written almost like a film plot which I have been told brings it to life.”

The book also tells of the harrowing turmoil endured by his family – ageing parents in poor health; an incredibly strong brother who bravely stands up to the terrorists; and a loving wife pushed to the limit by her husband’s ordeal.

“It was odd because before I went out I had premonitions it was not going to go well.

“When I went out to film I said to my wife, forgive me if I don’t come back. My mother still can’t talk about the experience.”

165 Days has been described as agonisingly claustrophobic and stark, yet curiously uplifting; the ultimate story of survival which lifts the curtain on the evil mindset of the Taliban.

It is available in as an ebook. There is also a website 165days.com.

A protégé of John Schlesinger, Mr Qureshi started work in the film industry in 1978 and worked variously as assistant director, director and producer.

In 2009 he made The Battle of Swat Valley, charting army action taken in Swat against the Taliban. His 2011 film Defusing Hu8man Bombs centred on Sabaoon, the school in Pakistan that strives to reverse the brutal Taliban indoctrination of young boys.