Joy as Pakistan kidnap boy freed (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Joy as Pakistan kidnap boy freed

12:31pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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The family of a five-year-old British boy kidnapped by gunmen in Pakistan are "overjoyed" after he was found wandering alone in a field.

Sahil Saeed was reported to be safe and well after he was released on Tuesday morning.

He was snatched from a house in the Punjab region in the north of the country on March 4 after robbers held his relatives hostage at gunpoint.

His mother, Akila Naqqash, has spoken to her son and is waiting for him to return to the family home in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

A police liaison officer said: "They are overjoyed. For 12 or 13 days, waiting, building hopes up and then hopes going down. She is overjoyed. It is really happy, just really happy. They were made aware he had been found safe and well. Mother has spoken on the telephone and spoke to him for some time, a private conversation. He is safe and well."

Sahil is understood to still be in Pakistan and his return is being organised by the British High Commission in Islamabad. It is thought family members will fly out to be reunited with him in Pakistan before he is flown back to the UK.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thompson said Sahil was released at 4.10am British time in Kharian City in the Punjab.

He said: "The release was made as a result of a phone call made to his family. He was released nearby to a school, alone, wandered into a local field and was found by some local residents who looked after him until such time his family found him with the police."

Sahil was on holiday with his father, Raja Naqqash Saeed, in Pakistan when he was snatched as they prepared to take a taxi to the airport for their flight home to the UK.

Mr Thompson said: "This remains a fast-moving international inquiry. It is led in Pakistan but over the last 12 days there has been considerable support delivered by the Greater Manchester Police to support the safe return of this young boy. This still remains a very active criminal investigation and Greater Manchester Police and the Pakistani authorities are still determined to bring people to justice and that will be a high priority in the coming hours days and weeks."