Karzai hopeful of Pakistan envoy's rescue

Kabul, Feb 12: Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said he is hopeful about Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azeezuddin's quick rescuea day after he was feared abducted in Afghanistan's tribal Khyber district.

"May God make it happen that our brother and neighbouring country, Pakistan, is able to rescue him from the abductors, the terrorists," Karzai said. "We hope he comes to Afghanistan safely, sound and healthy, to continue his work in Kabul. May he be safe and freed," the Dawn further quoted Karzai, as saying. Authorities in Pakistan have beefed up a search operation for Azeezudin.

The main road linking Pakistan and Afghanistan has been closed as part of the search operations. The Afghanistan Foreign Ministry is maintaining that Azeezuddin is not in Afghanistan.

According to officials, security forces saw Azeezuddin's car being driven away at speed through a check post with "local people sitting in the front seat".

Azeezuddin, his driver and a security guard was going to Kabul from his hometown Peshawar.

ANI