We heard the welcome news that an American woman held by the Taliban in Afghanistan was released after a successful negotiation run by Safi Rauf, a US Navy reservist who was himself a prisoner alongside Peter Jouvenal, until released about two months ago. The latest captive was freed was Mahnaz Safi, an Afghan-American, who had travelled to a remote village to oversee aid distribution, but was held when she could not show a valid visa. Full details of her release can be found here.

What concerns us is what the Foreign Office can learn from this to get Peter, and other Britons, freed.

Mr Rauf’s charity, Human First Coalition, which has strong connections in Afghanistan, was approached to be an intermediary when Ms Safi was taken about one month ago. Mr Rauf then used his contacts and personal network to resolve the deal that allowed her to go free. While we do not know the exact details of the release deal, we do know that the US State Department stood back, and left Mr Rauf to parlay. He said it took about one week, as he gave it his full focus, and worked through the issues, until he reached an agreement.

The most crucial point is that the Taliban officials holding Peter and an unspecified number of other Westerners for nearly six months, signed off on her release. Demonstrably, they will do deals.

“You have to work on it, and not wait for the Taliban to make the offer,” Mr Rauf said.  “And you have to remember that the Taliban waited for 20 years for the Americans to come to them. They are very patient people.”

So why is the Foreign Office, who pride themselves on ‘knowing’ Afghanistan, not doing something similarly pragmatic? Why are they not empowering someone with the knowledge, the understanding of Afghanistan, to give this the focus that it needs?

Every day they sit back and wait for the Taliban to come to them, is another day of life lost for Peter, who is held in a basement cell in Kabul in harrowing conditions. It is clear that the Foreign Office need to show the real focus and resolve to bring their citizens home. Their complacency is risking Peter’s life.

I would be grateful if you can send on this petition to other friends and family, so that we can achieve further support for our campaign to get Peter home to his family.