Abducted ambassador free after 2 years

Afghanistan’s ambassador-designate to Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi was abducted nearly two years ago from Peshawar.

Afghanistan’s ambassador-designate to Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi, who was abducted nearly two years ago from Peshawar was freed on Saturday, sources said.

It could not immediately be ascertained where Farahi was released, the Press Trust of India reported.

Sources said the diplomat was freed following negotiations between his kidnappers and the Afghan government.

Farahi, 53 was kidnapped on September 22, 2008 by gunmen, who killed his driver. He was then serving as the Afghan Consul-General in Peshawar.

No group claimed responsibility for the incident though a hitherto unheard of militant group, Kateeba Salahuddin Ayubi, issued a video in which Farahi was shown asking authorities to accept the demands of his captors.

The diplomat, who hails from Afghanistan’s western Farah province, served as Consul-General in Quetta after the fall of the Taliban regime in Kabul.

In April 2002, he was appointed as Consul-General in Peshawar and served in the position for six years. In August 2008, he was named Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan. He was kidnapped before he could present his credentials.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2010.