Imran Khan welcomes release of US, Australian professors in Afghanistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday welcomed the release of American and Australian professors Kevin King and Timothy Weeks by the Taliban, expressing hope that the step would give a confidence boost to all parties involved in the Afghan peace process.

The two professors were released by the Taliban as part of a prisoner swap deal between the group and the Afghan government, under which the latter released three terrorists, including Anas Haqqani, from Bagram prison on Monday evening.

Taking to Twitter, Khan said that Pakistan 'facilitated' the release of the two professors "as part of its policy of supporting initiatives for a negotiated political settlement of the Afghan conflict."

Anas Haqqani, a leading member in Haqqani network group and senior Taliban members - Haji Mali and Abdul Rashid - were released by the Afghan government on Monday and flown to Doha, albeit they will remain under the house arrest.

The two professors released by the Taliban were abducted in 2016 outside the American University in Kabul where they both worked as teachers.