TTP claims custody of crashed Pak chopper's hostages

Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hakimullah Mehsud Group has claimed that they have in their custody all the hostages of the Pakistani Punjab

Government's helicopter that crash-landed in Afghanistan last week.

According to a media statement, Taliban claimed that it will soon release a video of the hostages, reports the Nation.

However, according to earlier reports, the TTP denied having taken any hostages while the Afghan Taliban claimed having them.

There has been no official confirmation about these reports but, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif , has contacted the Afghan Government and head of American Forces in Afghanistan General Nicholson for safe recovery of the hostages.

Reportedly, unofficial efforts are also underway as Ulema and clerics having soft corner for the Taliban were contacted to use their influence for the recovery of the hostages.

According to media reports, a Punjab Government Mi-17 helicopter crash landed in Afghanistan's Logar province on Thursday last week and the insurgents took the crew hostage before setting the helicopter on fire.

The chopper had seven people onboard at the time of the incident including, six members of the Punjab government and a Russian engineer. All seven survived the crash.