Tariq Azizuddin

Tariq Azizuddin is Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan.He was taken hostage by Mujahideen from the Tehrik-i-Taliban on Monday February 11th, 2008.cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7239555.stm
title=Pakistani ambassador goes missing
publisher=BBC News
date=February 11, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-19
quote=] cite news
url=http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?197285
title=Pak envoy to Afghanistan goes missing: Believed to have been abducted in Khyber Agency
publisher=Pak Tribune
date=Tuesday February 12, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-19
quote=] Tariq was traveling, by road, from his home in Peshawar, to Afghanistan's neaby capital, Kabul.He was taken hostage in Pakistan's Khyber Tribal Agency, prior to passing through the border crossing at Towr Kham.

The Taliban released a video to the Arab satellite channel al-Arabiya TV on April 19th, 2008.cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7406948.stm
title= Afghans free foreign contractors
publisher=BBC News
date=Sunday, 18 May 2008
accessdate=2008-05-19
quote=] cite news
url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004420700_afghanprison17.html
title=U.S. plans $60 million Afghan prison on military base
publisher=Seattle Times
author=Eric Schmitt, Tim Golden
date=Saturday, May 17, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-17
quote=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 along Feb. 11 along with his driver and bodyguard. [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fseattletimes.nwsource.com%2Fhtml%2Fnationworld%2F2004420700_afghanprison17.html&date=2008-05-17 mirror] ]

On May 16th, 2008 his brother Tahir Azizuddin announced that Tariq was safe, and had been set free.Pakistani authorities denied that Tariq's release was the culmination of a negotiated deal.cite news
url=http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?200564
title=Kidnapped ambassador freed: Taliban claim Mulla Obaidullah, others swapped for Tariq Azizuddin; govt denies deal
publisher=Pak Tribune
date=Sunday May 18, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-19
quote=] cite news
url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE20Df01.html
title=Pakistani militants savor a sweet deal
publisher=Asia Times
author=Syed Saleem Shahzad
date=May 20, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-20
quote= [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atimes.com%2Fatimes%2FSouth_Asia%2FJE20Df01.html&date=2008-05-19 mirror] ] cite news
url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/05/a4adb889-a7d1-4e23-9687-7b4ddd24b8d8.html
title=Afghanistan: Pakistani Ambassador Released By Kidnappers
publisher=Radio Free Europe
date=Saturday, May 17, 2008
accessdate=2008-05-19
quote=] Nevertheless the "BBC", the "Pak Tribune", and the "Asia Times" all reported there had been a prisoner swap.

The "Asia Times" article asserted there was a deal -- with Baitullah Mehsud.The "Asia Times" article stated that 55 militants were released, and that a payment of 20 million Pakistani Rupees was paid.The "Asia Times" article named Mufti Yousuf and Muslim Dost as two of released militantsThe "Asia Times" article reported that Maulana Abdul Aziz was expected to be released soon.The "Asia Times" article reported that negotiations stalled over the kidnappers demand that Mullah Obaidullah be handed over, and the the 20 million rupee payment was in lieu of his release.

According to the "Pak Tribune" the Taliban insisted that Mulla Obaidullah had been part of the prisoner swap.

The "Asia Times" article described the release of some of the low-level militants as tied to the release of members of Tariq's entourage.

References