A Chinese engineer held hostage by Islamist militants in north-western Pakistan since August 2008 has been freed, the Chinese embassy said on Sunday, dpa reported.
�� Long Xiawei along with a colleague went missing in Pakistan's Dir region on August 29. Militants in neighbouring Swat district later claimed they had the duo in their captivity.
�� Long "safely" reached the embassy in Islamabad early Sunday, a day after his captors released him, according to a statement issued by the mission.
�� Details of the release were not immediately known.
�� "He (Long) will go back to China soon to get together with his family," the statement said.
�� The Chinese embassy and the freed engineer appreciated the efforts by "relative departments of Pakistan" for his safe release.
�� Long's fellow engineer from Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment company had already returned to China after the Pakistani security forces claimed they recovered him on October 17.
�� A spokesman for the Swat militants had earlier offered to swap the pair for dozens of insurgents believed to be detained by the security forces.