A six-member crew of a Pakistani helicopter, reportedly taken hostage by the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan’s Logar province on August 4, has been released and handed over to Pakistani authorities on Saturday.
“The six-member crew of Punjab government helicopter that went missing in Afghanistan on 4th August 2016 has been recovered and arrived in Islamabad today,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The Mi-17 Russian-made helicopter, owned by Punjab Government, was heading towards Uzbekistan for overhauling when it crash-landed in Logar. The chopper crews were taken hostage by the Afghan Taliban, according to reports quoting authorities last week.
After the incident, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif had also contacted top US commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson, seeking the international military coalition’s help for recovery of the seven men.
To get the crew free, both civilian and military authorities of Pakistan had been in constant contact with American military and Afghan leadership.
Eventually, parleys between the tribal elders of both sides of border with the Afghan Taliban that helped secure the release of the crew including Chief Pilot Col (rtd) Safdar, Co-Pilot Col (rtd) Shafiq, Maj (rtd) Safdar, Engineer Col (rtd) Nasir, Hawaldar Kausar, Daud and a Russian national.
