LANDI KOTAL, May 7: The Khyber Agency political administration on Tuesday secured the safe release of a dozen Wapda employees and a police constable from their captors after months-long negotiations.

Officials at the Khyber House, the office of Khyber Agency’s political agent in Peshawar, said security forces along with khasadar force and some local informers had been working for 16 months to locate and recover the abducted Wapda employees and the police constable.

They said besides recovering the abductees, forces had also taken into custody a number of suspects over the kidnapping. The officials said Fayaz Khan, Amir Mohammad, Mohammad Nazar, Mohammad Tariq, Mohammad Zahid, Qaisar Abbas, Mohsin Ali, Sohail Ahmad, Ayaz Khan, Mohammad Akhtar, Mohammad Nazar and Mohammad Hussain were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from Gula Jan jungle in Badhaber near Peshawar on Jan 21 last year.

Moving scenes were seen at Khyber House when the released men met members of their families.

Though officials did not disclose the exact location from where the Wapda employees were recovered, it is learnt that they were brought to Peshawar after they were first handed over to the political administration of Orakzai Agency. — Correspondent