Journalist Anas Mallick safe in Kabul: Pakistan envoy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani journalist Anas Mallick, who had gone missing in Kabul a day ago, is “safe”, Pakistani envoy Mansoor Ahmed Khan said on  Friday after talking to him on the phone.

“Regarding reports about Pakistani journalist Anas Mallick, I have just talked to him on phone briefly. He is in Kabul and safe. Embassy will remain in touch with him,“ the envoy said on Twitter.

Mallick — working with WionNews —  also tweeted: "I am back."

He was in Afghanistan to cover the first anniversary of the takeover by the Taliban of the country. The journalist reached Kabul on August 3.

Mallick went missing on Thursday after filing a story about the 'safehouse' where Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike.

“We at the Foreign Office are deeply concerned about the disappearance of Anas Mallick, FO correspondent, from Kabul yesterday,” the Foreign Office had said in a statement on Twitter after reports emerged that he is missing.

It had added that the government is in touch with local authorities and Pakistan Embassy in Kabul for his early and safe return to Pakistan.

The WION journalist recently interviewed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in Tashkent during an SCO moot.