Pakistan Army rescued US-Canadian family on US intelligence: FO

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GEO NEWS
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Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday commented on the recovery of the US-Canadian family from Taliban captivity during an operation by Pakistan Army.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said in a statement that the Pakistan Army conducted the rescue operation based on US intelligence.

The couple had been kidnapped in Afghanistan, he added.

The Pakistan Army recovered five foreign hostages: a Canadian, his US national wife and their three children, after they were kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2012. US intelligence services had been tracking the movement of the hostages and informed their Pakistani partners when the hostages were moved across the Pak-Afghan border into Kurram Agency on October 11, 2017.

US praised Pakistan’s action and cooperation in recovering the abductees, the Foreign Office spokesman said.

Pakistan’s agenda is to defeat terrorism, a common enemy, the statement said.

Shedding light on US delegation’s visit to Pakistan, Zakaria said the visit was important following Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence some weeks ago.

The spokesperson said that India’s role in Afghanistan was dangerous for regional stability and was not in regional interest.

He further noted that Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua’s meetings with Russian officials during recent visit to Russia were fruitful.

Zakaria also highlighted India’s continuing aggression in Occupied Kashmir, and called on the international community to take notice of human rights violations in the region.