ISLAMABAD, April 13: Pakistan on Wednesday said it was hopeful of early release of Malik Muhammad Javed, a staff member of its embassy in Baghdad, who was abducted on Sunday. Efforts are under way at all levels to secure Mr Javed’s early release and we hope these efforts will bear fruit, Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said when contacted by Dawn on Wednesday.

Following the abduction of Mr Javed Malik, who has been posted at Pakistan mission in Baghdad for the last five years, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz dispatched his special envoy Ehsanullah Khan there to secure his release.

The FO spokesman told this correspondent that Mr Ehsanullah Khan met Iraqi prime minister, defence and interior ministers in this connection on Wednesday. He was also scheduled to meet leader of the Iraqi Islami party, the spokesman said.

At his weekly news briefing on Monday, the FO spokesman had said that the incident appeared to be a case of kidnapping for ransom.

He told journalists that Mr Khan had established contact with Pakistan’s charge d’ affaires in Baghdad who was also in touch with the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Islamic Party in this regard.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Iraq Mohammad Yunus Khan is all set to leave for Baghdad on Friday where he will arrive the same day. The Pakistani ambassador-designate will also call on the Iraqi leadership to secure release of Malik Mohammad Javed.—qa