The News
CHITRAL: Athanasios Lerounis, a Greek social worker kidnapped by Afghan militants last month, has appealed to the governments of Pakistan and Greece and Greek philanthropists to expedite efforts for his safe release.

Sources said the captive held in Afghanistan Nuristan province handed over three letters to a delegation comprising area elders, who went for the second time to Afghanistan to seek his release.

In a letter to the government of Pakistan, Athanasios wrote that he was a philanthropist trying to provide clean drinking water, education and health facilities to the Kalash people. In the other two letters, he wrote he would have to face the consequences if the Pakistani government did not heed the Taliban demands of paying $2 million as ransom and release of their three key Afghan commanders.

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