Pakistan says Islamabad will help in rescuing US national from Taliban custody in Afghanistan

Frerichs, 58, from Lombard, Illinois, was kidnapped in January 2020 in the capital city of Kabul after being lured to a business meeting that was a ruse, officials have told ABC News.

Officials believe he is being held by the Taliban's Haqqani network, which has kidnapped other American and British citizens for ransom or prisoner swaps over the course of the two-decade war.

The options that have been considered for freeing Frerichs include trying to arrange a controversial prisoner exchange involving an Afghan drug lord, encouraging Pakistan to influence the captor network, or staging a high-risk rescue operation if Frerichs can be located, numerous officials told ABC News in recent weeks on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive matters.

Spokesperson Maliha Shahid, who is a press attache at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, told the ABC News: "Pakistan has always regarded any assistance it can provide in helping the United States and other foreign countries with the recovery of their hostages from Afghanistan as a moral and humanitarian responsibility. This assistance has always been extended in good faith, and not driven by 'incentives' or 'pressure.'"

The statement also said that Pakistan has "no evidence to suggest that Mark Frerichs is being held in Pakistan" and that Pakistan "remains committed to play any role it can" to reunite Frerichs with his family.