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Pakistan envoy 'held by Taleban' Pakistan envoy 'held by Taleban'
(about 3 hours later)
Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, who went missing in February, has appeared in a video saying he is being held by Taleban militants.Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, who went missing in February, has appeared in a video saying he is being held by Taleban militants.
Armed men surrounded Tariq Azizuddin in the footage, shown on Dubai-based al-Arabiya television.Armed men surrounded Tariq Azizuddin in the footage, shown on Dubai-based al-Arabiya television.
He urged the Pakistan government to meet their demands. He urged the Pakistani government to meet their demands.
It is the first time the envoy has been seen in public since disappearing on his way to Kabul from the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar. It is the first public statement by the envoy since he disappeared in the border area between the two countries, on his way to the Afghan capital Kabul.
In comments translated into Arabic by the TV channel, he said he was being held with his driver and bodyguard "in comfortable conditions and are looked after". In comments translated into Arabic by the channel, Mr Azizuddin said he, along with his driver and his bodyguard, had been kidnapped by "mujahideen from the Taleban".
"We were kidnapped by mujahideen from the Taleban," he said. "We have no problems, but I suffer health problems such as high blood pressure and heart pains." He added that they were being held "in comfortable conditions" and "looked after".
"We have no problems, but I suffer health problems such as high blood pressure and heart pains," he said.
No escortNo escort
Appealing directly to Pakistan's ambassadors in Iran and China and the foreign secretary, he said: Appealing directly to Pakistan's ambassadors in Iran and China and the foreign secretary, he said: "I urge them to do what they can to keep us alive and fulfil all the Taleban's demands as soon as possible so we can be released and return home, God willing."
"I urge them to do what they can to keep us alive and fulfil all the Taleban's demands as soon as possible so we can be released and return home, God willing." A Taleban spokesman said in February that the group would exchange him for a Taleban commander captured by Pakistani security forces.
A Taleban spokesman said in February that they would exchange him for a Taleban commander captured by Pakistani security forces. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told Reuters news agency that there was no mention of any demands in the tape he had seen, and he was not aware of any demands.
Many areas in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are strongholds of pro-Taleban militants and hundreds of people have been kidnapped in recent years. "Yes, it is him, but... we're not in a position to verify if he's in the custody of the Taleban," he said.
Mr Azizuddin, who said he was kidnapped in the Khyber province, is said to have previously travelled to Kabul by road, often without the tribal security escort. Many areas in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are strongholds of pro-Taleban militants, and hundreds of people have been kidnapped in recent years.
Mr Azizuddin was travelling from the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar when he was abducted.
He is said to have previously travelled to Kabul by road, often without a tribal security escort.