Taliban: hostages will not be killed

Islamabad: Pakistani Taliban said on Wednesday they would not kill two Chinese engineers and two Pakistanis they have been holding since last week, but they would not release them unless unspecified demands were met.

Two Chinese telecommunication engineers and a Pakistani driver and guard were kidnapped near the Afghan border on Friday when they were returning to a guest house after repairing a telecommunications tower.

A Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday they were holding the four.

China is a staunch ally of Pakistan and a major investor. The safety of Chinese nationals is a priority for Pakistani government.