Islamabad: The Pakistan government has released over a dozen jailed Taliban commanders to secure the release of a Chinese engineer who was kidnapped by the militants nearly six months ago.
Officials were tight-lipped about Long Xiaowei's release though The News daily reported that the government swapped more than a dozen Taliban prisoners for the Chinese national.
"Yes, a number of militants were freed to secure the release of the Chinese engineer," an official with knowledge of the deal told the newspaper. He refused to give the exact
number of prisoners who were released.
"Efforts were intensified to secure his release before the President's (Asif Ali Zardari) upcoming visit to China. It's a gift to the people of China on the occasion of his
visit and it is also expected that the President will take him (Long) along to China," the official said.
On Sunday, Long reached the Chinese embassy in the federal capital, a day after he was freed by the local Taliban in the troubled northwestern Swat valley.
Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan initially claimed Long was freed as a "goodwill gesture" but later admitted the government had freed some prisoners in exchange for the Chinese national.
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