“The ambassador was recovered late on Friday. He is safe and sound,” Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said on Saturday.

Azizuddin’s brother Imran Azizuddin told reporters here that the family was informed about the envoy’s release and he was expected to be back home soon.

The envoy was handed over to officials in the South Waziristan region after talks between local Taliban and the government which were brokered by a tribal jirga or a council of elders. This gave rise to speculation about Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud’s involvement in the Ambassador’s kidnapping as South Waziristan is his stronghold. Mehsud was also accused of involvement in the assassination of former Premier Benazir Bhutto. Azizuddin, his driver and guard were kidnapped on February 11 while the envoy was on his way to Kabul from his home in Peshawar via the restive Khyber Agency.

His release came days after Pakistani authorities and the Taliban swapped prisoners following peace parleys. Eighteen Taliban cadres were freed in exchange for about 55 security personnel who were being held captive by militants in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.