QUETTA, Nov 13 Abdul Khaliq Farahi, the Afghan consul general in Peshawar who had been kidnapped two years ago, was released by his captors on Saturday night.

An Afghan diplomat in Islamabad confirmed his release. “Yes, Abdul Khaliq Farahi has been freed,” Abdul Jalil told Dawn on telephone. But he did not disclose the place where he was set free.

Sources said the diplomat had been handed over to Afghan authorities by the kidnappers somewhere in eastern Afghanistan.

Mr Farahi was kidnapped by armed men on Sept 22, 2008, in Peshawar's Hayatabad area while he was going to his office in an official vehicle. The kidnappers killed his driver when he offered resistance.

Mr Farahi had been designated ambassador to Pakistan by the Afghan government a few days before his kidnapping. A native of the eastern Afghan province of Farah, he had once served as consul general in Quetta.

In May this year, a news agency released a video, which it said was released by Mr Farahi's kidnappers. The video, which was aired by a private TV channel, showed the grey-bearded Farahi dressed in trousers and a half-sleeved shirt. Three masked men armed with sophisticated weapons were standing behind the handcuffed Afghan envoy.

A little known militant organisation, led by Kateeba Salahuddin Ayubi, which released the video, claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

“Dear listeners, as you know that Mujahideen have arrested me. For the past one year and six months, I have been spending my days and nights in a very critical condition. I appeal to the government and people of Afghanistan, as well as the international community, to make efforts to save my life,” Mr Farahi appealed in Pushto.

“These people (Mujahideen) have accused me of working for the US-sponsored Afghan government and the punishment of this crime (according to them) is death sentence. This is my first and last statement. After this, these people will decide my execution,” he said.

Mr Farahi had taken part in the Afghan resistance against Soviet forces during the 1980s. Days after the abduction, some officials had made claims that Mr Farahi had been recovered from his captors. But the claims later turned out to be false.