QUETTA, July 16: The Afghan government released all the four levies men on Friday and handed them over to Pakistani officials in Bramcha, a border checkpost in Chagai district.

"Yes, the Afghan government has released all the four Pakistani levies men," District Coordination Officer of Chagai, Qamar Masood confirmed over telephone. The four men were kidnapped on July 12 by armed Afghans from the border village of Abdul Wahid, who said that the land belonged to Afghanistan, and therefore Afghans should be allowed to construct their houses in that village.

Pakistani border officials however refused to allow the Mohammad Hasni tribesmen to built their houses saying that the land belonged to Pakistan. "They were released unconditionally," official sources said. However, it was decided that a joint meeting of Pakistani and Afghan border authorities would be held fortnightly at the border to discuss border and security issues.

"We have accepted the suggestion of Afghan officials about the joint meeting after every 15 days," sources said. According to sources local Afghan authorities contacted Pakistani officials on Friday morning and offered further talks for the release of the four men.

The Pakistani negotiation team went to Barmcha early in the morning and held another round of talks, after which the Afghan officials agreed to release all the four levies men.

The four men were handed over without any condition and their weapons were also returned to the negotiating team. The breakthrough came after the Pakistan authorities informed the Kabul government, which then directed the concerned authorities in Kandahar to release the men.