"I am pleased to announce the release of Malik Javed in Iraq and I congratulate the nation on this good news," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said at a function in Islamabad Sunday night to honor the Pakistani cricket team's victory over India.

"I went out of this program twice for none other reason than to get the latest on Malik Javed, who would be in Pakistan in three days. We have succeeded in negotiating his release and he is free now. That is a big news for Pakistan," The News quoted him as saying.

He thanked all those countries which had helped in the successful negotiation for the release of Malik Javed.

Malik Javed, who did not have diplomatic status, was kidnapped while he was returning to his residence at Amariya district of Baghdad from a mosque by some people who claimed to be from the Omar bin Khattab group.

The Dawn quoted a foreign office spokesman as saying the attitude of the kidnappers with the victim was reportedly good and they did not torture him.

However, Pakistani authorities remained tightlipped on whether the government had acceded to any of the abductor's demands, including ransom.

More reports from Pakistan | Gulf War, II