Pakistan appealed for the release of an official from its embassy in Iraq who was kidnapped while going out for prayer.
“We appeal to the kidnappers of Malik Muhammad Javed to release him immediately,” said Pakistan’s Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Sunday. “The Pakistan government condemns the incident and hopes that the safe release of the kidnapped man will take place soon,” he told reporters. Rashid said one of the kidnappers had contacted Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Iraq, Mohamed Iftikhar Anjum, by telephone Sunday and told him that he was an activist of the Omar bin Khattab group and that Javed was in his custody. Javed, an assistant who does not have diplomatic status, went missing on Saturday night after going to a mosque for evening prayers. Full Story
