ISLAMABAD, 12 April 2005 — Pakistan yesterday decided to dispatch a special envoy to Iraq to secure the safe release of a staff member of its mission in the war-torn country.
Islamabad vowed to step up efforts yesterday to secure the release of Malik Muhammad Javed who was abducted Saturday by militants claiming to be members of the Omar bin Khattab rebel group. The group was “unknown” and neither the Pakistani nor Iraqi governments had heard of it before.
“The decision to send the special envoy was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad today,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said. Jilani speculated the kidnapping was aimed at demanding ransom but did not share further details.
Jilani told a regular press briefing: “It appears to be a case of ransom, abduction for ransom, but we are not really aware of any further details, as of now.”
An unnamed official involved in efforts to secure Javed’s release said that the kidnappers wanted an unspecified sum.
“Their demand is simple, they have just asked for money,” he said. The hostage was “absolutely safe” and was in regular contact with the charge d’affaires at the embassy, whom he spoke to Sunday night, Jilani said. He did not reveal the details of the conversation. Jilani said the government was in touch with its mission as well as the Iraqi authorities in Baghdad. He said that Ambassador Ehsanullah Khan would leave for Baghdad soon to secure the release of Javed, an innocent Pakistani who did not commit any crime. “We will take every step to ensure Javed’s safety,” Jilani said.
Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Iraq, Mohammad Yunus Khan, was also due to travel to Baghdad shortly, he added. The embassy is currently being run by Charge d’Affaires Mohamed Iftikhar Anjum.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Sunday appealed to the abductors to release the official unharmed. “The Pakistan mission in Iraq will continue to perform its work and there is no plan to close it down or reduce the number of staff,” he said.
Meanwhile, Javed’s relatives gathered Sunday at his home in Islamabad.
“They are all crying and consoling each other,” said Javed’s elder son, Bilal Malik.
“We are extremely worried over the kidnapping,” he said.
