An Arabic-language television channel has broadcast a video of Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, in which he says he has been kidnapped by Taliban militants.
The video of Tariq Azizuddin aired Saturday on Al-Arabiya television.
Azizuddin sat in front of masked gunmen as he made his first public comments since disappearing in February. He said he and his driver and bodyguard are being held in comfortable conditions, but he said he suffers from health problems.
Azizuddin urged the Pakistani government and Pakistan's envoys in China and Iran to comply with the demands of his captors. The ambassador did not say what those demands were.
In response to the video message, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman (Mohammed Sadiq) said his government is making all efforts to secure Azizuddin's release. He did not elaborate.
Local media have reported the kidnappers are demanding the release of an unspecified number of their colleagues arrested by Pakistani security forces.
Azizuddin and his driver and bodyguard were kidnapped in Pakistan's Khyber tribal region bordering Afghanistan, a day after authorities announced the arrest of a key Taliban commander, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah.
The video of Tariq Azizuddin aired Saturday on Al-Arabiya television.
Azizuddin sat in front of masked gunmen as he made his first public comments since disappearing in February. He said he and his driver and bodyguard are being held in comfortable conditions, but he said he suffers from health problems.
Azizuddin urged the Pakistani government and Pakistan's envoys in China and Iran to comply with the demands of his captors. The ambassador did not say what those demands were.
In response to the video message, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman (Mohammed Sadiq) said his government is making all efforts to secure Azizuddin's release. He did not elaborate.
Local media have reported the kidnappers are demanding the release of an unspecified number of their colleagues arrested by Pakistani security forces.
Azizuddin and his driver and bodyguard were kidnapped in Pakistan's Khyber tribal region bordering Afghanistan, a day after authorities announced the arrest of a key Taliban commander, Mullah Mansoor Dadullah.