The news agency that has close ties with the ruling Taleban said the plane touched down after a flight from an airbase in the United Arab Emirates where it refuelled and the hijackers released 25 of the 189 people aboard.

A Taleban spokesman told Reuters by telephone that the Indian government, which does not recognise the ruling Taleban, had requested permission to allow the plane to land in Afghanistan.

The Indians asked for our help and we agreed to allow the plane to land and refuel," the spokesman said. He gave no other details.

The Taleban had refused landing permission on Friday night when the plane attempted to land in Kabul after it was refuelled in the Pakistani city of Lahore.

The Airbus was hijacked by five heavily armed men on a flight from the Nepali capital of Kathmandu on a flight to New Delhi.