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Islamabad: The family of the missing Pakistani ambassador to Kabul expressed frustration over the situation and urged authorities to accelerate recovery efforts.
Three months ago, Ambassador Tariq Azizuddin was kidnapped by the Taliban in a tribal region, along with his driver and guard while they were en route to Kabul.
Arabic television broadcast video footage of Azizuddin pleading with the Pakistani government to accept the demands of his captors.
In a statement released on Sunday, Azizuddin’s family said: “We, the wife, children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters and our close family are deeply concerned and in a state of anguish that after a lapse of almost three months there are no signs of his and his companions early and safe recovery”.
The family also said they failed to understand why the authorities were not taking swift enough action to bring back the ambassador.
They added that while "some contact" had been established with Azizuddin a month after his abduction, there was no sign he would be released soon.
They did not elaborate on the contact, but they said they had learned that his health was deteriorating due to his confinement in "subhuman conditions".
It remains unclear if Azizuddin is really in the hands of the Taliban and whether he has become a pawn in peace talks between the government and tribal militants.
An umbrella group for Pakistani militants has denied involvement.
The family also pleaded with the kidnappers to release the ambassador and his companions as soon as possible.
The government has said that no demands have been communicated yet.
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