Chinese tourist kidnapped in Pakistan rescued

The Chinese embassy in Pakistan on Sunday evening told Xinhua that a Chinese tourist who was kidnapped in the country a year ago has been rescued.

The minister said an intelligence-based operation conducted by commandos had led to the freeing of the man, and that it was preceded by more than a year of effort by the government, but gave no further details. “Whenever they would visit here, from their president to prime minister, their minister and their ambassador would talk about this Chinese tourist, the Chinese cyclist”, Khan said.

The Chinese man, who had been cycling through Pakistan, was abducted in May near the western city of Dera Ismail Khan. He entered Pakistan in April from India and was on his way to Iran. “Thank God now we have him”.

The Pakistani Taliban, heavily active in the area, claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

The Pakistani Taliban are allied to, but separate from, the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan. The militants have killed tens of thousands in Pakistan over the last decade. A faction of the Taliban had said that it was behind the abduction. Over 300 suspected members of different banned groups have been picked up in the last four days in central Pakistani districts, counterterrorism officer Shabana Saif said Monday.