Islamabad religious students release abducted Chinese, Pakistanis

Seven Chinese and two Pakistani nationals abducted from a massage parlor Friday night by a group of religious students have been released unconditionally, an Islamabad city official has said.

The official told reporters outside the Red Mosque that the abductees have been released without conditions.

''We are releasing the abducted persons because they have confessed their sins and sought forgiveness. We are releasing them in view of good Pakistan-China friendly relations,'' said Abdul Aziz, a cleric at the Red Mosque.

Aziz said that the Islamabad city administration has also agreed to close all the massage parlors that have cropped up in various residential sectors of the federal capital.

The six Chinese women abducted from the massage parlor midnight Friday were allowed to leave the mosque wearing burqas, the traditional Islamic veil, to prevent waiting cameramen from taking their photographs.