ISLAMABAD, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday assured the Afghan side of the safe recovery of the abducted Afghan envoy Abdul Khaliq Farahi.

    "The Pakistani government was taking all necessary measures for safe and early recovery of Ambassador-designate Abdul Khaliq Farahi," said Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a press release.

    Farahi, Consul General of Afghanistan to Peshawar and the Ambassador-designate to Pakistan, was kidnapped in Hayatabad area of Peshawar, capital city of North West Frontier Province on Monday afternoon.

    He was abducted when the car carrying him was attacked by unidentified gunmen and his driver was killed near his residence.

    But the whereabouts of the abducted Afghan envoy on Tuesday remained unknown as no group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

    The search and rescue is underway.

    Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has condemned the kidnapping.