ISLAMABAD, April 13: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Wednesday said the government was making every effort to secure a safe release of Malik Mohammad Javed, a Pakistan embassy official kidnapped in Baghdad last week. This he said while talking to reporters during a visit to the residence of Malik Javed here.

He sympathized with the family and said that Ambassador-designate to Iraq Younus Khan would leave for Baghdad on Thursday. “The ambassador will join the efforts under way to secure release of the hostage,” Mr Kasuri said, adding that special envoy Ehsanullah was already there, pursuing endeavours to secure Javed’s release.

“We have also talked to other concerned people, including the Iraqi religious leaders,” he said.

“We have a very principled policy (on Iraq) and appeal to the abductors to cause no harm to the official and release him because he is an innocent Muslim, has committed no crime and was kidnapped while going to mosque for Isha prayers,” the minister said.—APP