Tariq Azizuddin wasPakistan's ambassador toTurkey. He was ambassador toAfghanistan when he was taken hostage byterrorists from theTehrik-i-Taliban on Monday February 11, 2008.[1][2]Tariq was traveling, by road, from his home inPeshawar, to Afghanistan's nearby capital,Kabul.His vehicle was stopped by gunmen and he was taken hostage along with his driver Gul Nawaz and bodyguard Amir Sultan in Pakistan'sKhyber Tribal Agency, prior to passing through the border crossing atTorkham.[3]
The Taliban released a video to the Arab satellite channelal-Arabiya TV on April 19, 2008.[4][5]
On May 16, 2008 his brother Tahir Azizuddin announced that Tariq was safe and had been freed. Nawaz and Sultan were also freed.[6]Pakistani authorities denied that Tariq's release was the culmination of a negotiated deal.[4][7][8][9]Nevertheless, theBBC, thePak Tribune, and theAsia Times all reported there had been a prisoner swap.
TheAsia Times article asserted there was a deal—withBaitullah Mehsud.[8]TheAsia Times article stated that 55 militants were released, and that a payment of 20 millionPakistani Rupees was paid.TheAsia Times article namedMufti Yousuf andMuslim Dost as two of released militantsTheAsia Times article reported thatMaulana Abdul Aziz was expected to be released soon.TheAsia Times article reported that negotiations stalled over the kidnappers demand thatMullah Obaidullah be handed over, and the 20 million rupee payment was in lieu of his release.
The brother of Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan says the envoy has been released, three months after he was kidnapped near the border between the two countries. Tariq Azizuddin disappeared on Feb. 11 along with his driver and bodyguard.