ISLAMABAD, July 23: The Afghanistan government has released a serving official of the Pakistan Army as a goodwill gesture, and 27 civilians will be released next week.

A source in the interior ministry on Sunday said that Lieutenant Shahid was handed over to a three-member Pakistani team that returned on Thursday after completing a three-day visit to Afghanistan.

The delegation, headed by Interior Ministry’s Additional Secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman, visited Afghanistan to secure the release of Pakistani prisoners from Afghan jails.

The source could not tell how and when Lieutenant Shahid was arrested. However, Pakistani’s foreign office had been negotiating with Afghan authorities for several months for release of the military official, the source added.

Mr Zaman said that 27 Pakistani civilians would be released next week, including four from the US-controlled Bagram airbase and 23 from Pul-i-Charkhi.

The official said that 76 Pakistanis were in Afghan jails, including 46 in Pul-i-Charkhi and 30 at Bagram airbase.

Pakistani prisoners detained at Bagram airbase, were shifted there from the US-controlled prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. However, the additional secretary did not confirm that they were sent from Guantanamo Bay.

Mr Zaman said a committee comprising official of Afghan interior ministry and Pakistani embassy in Kabul had been formed to secure the release of Pakistani prisoners.

He said Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) to settle bilateral issues of prisoners, visa and immigration and arrest of their nationals under minor offences.