Czech president asks Zadari for help on missing women

PRAGUE/ISLAMABAD: New Czech President Milos Zeman on Monday appealed to his Pakistani counterpart for help in locating two Czech women abducted last week in the restive southwestern province of Baluchistan.

Sworn into office last week, Zeman on Monday "wrote a personal letter to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari", presidential spokeswoman Hana Burianova told reporters.

Pakistani security forces have so far been unable to locate the two women who were taken at gunpoint last Wednesday, around 550 kilometres (350 miles) west of Quetta.

So far no one has demanded a ransom. Identified as Hana Humpalova and Antonie Chrastecka, both psychology students, the women had apparently crossed into Pakistan from Iran on holiday.

A Pakistani policeman who was escorting the women was reportedly also kidnapped with them, but later released.

"The Pakistani side has been very active. Their interior ministry has created a crisis unit," Czech foreign ministry spokeswoman Johana Grohova said Monday.