Pakistan FM Informs Swiss Counterpart Of Recovered Couple

Islamabad, March 17, IRNA – Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, spoke to her Swiss counterpart, Didier Burkhalter, on Friday to inform him that the security forces have successfully recovered the Swiss couple who was abducted last year from southwestern Balochistan province, the Foreign Ministry said. The couple is being handed over to the Swiss embassy in Islamabad and both are in good health, a Foreign Ministry statement said. The Swiss Foreign Minister thanked Pakistan for its help and commended its security forces for their successful efforts in ensuring safe release of the couple, it said. Rabbani Khar thanked Switzerland for its patience and understanding, while appreciating its valuable support to Pakistan in counter-terrorism. They were airlifted to Islamabad Thursday afternoon from Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Swiss Embassy in Islamabad was informed on Thursday morning by the Pakistani authorities of this latest development and the Ambassador is in direct contact with them and has ascertained that they are uninjured, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said. Officials earlier said the couple was taken by helicopter from the Miranshah in North Waziristan tribal region to Peshawar and later to Islamabad. They will return to Switzerland as soon as possible. Earlier reports said members of the Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility for the incident./end