Peshawar, September 2:

Pakistani Taliban militants said today they had kidnapped two Chinese telecom engineers and their entourage and would soon issue a list of demands.

The claim of responsibility was swiftly followed by a plea from Beijing urging Pakistan to rescue the captives.

The engineers went missing along with their local driver and a security guard four days ago near the Afghan border where they had been checking an installation.

“Our men have kidnapped the two Chinese engineers and they are currently in our custody,” Muslim Khan, a spokesman for militants, said. He confirmed that the driver and security guard were also being held.

“Our central consultative council will take a final decision about the fate of the engineers,” he said, adding that a list of demands would be put to government officials for their release.

He did not give any date for a meeting of the council.