Kidnapped Oldham boy Sahil Saeed found safe in Pakistan

 The family of a five-year-old British boy who was kidnapped while in Pakistan say they are "ecstatic" after he was found safe and well.

Sahil Saeed, from Oldham, had been snatched from his grandmother's house in Jhelum by armed robbers on 3 March.
Greater Manchester Police said he was left near a school at 0410 GMT on Tuesday, before wandering into a field where he was found by locals.
The family in Oldham said they were "over the moon" at his release.
"The whole family is ecstatic. They are currently taking in the news and want to celebrate as a family," a spokesman said.
Sahil's mother, Akila Naqqash, said her son had seemed "normal" when she had spoken to him on the telephone, and that she was "gobsmacked" at his reaction to his ordeal.
She said: "Obviously [he had] been held for 13 days, and the way he spoke to me like nothing happened - it's normal, the way he spoke and everything. He's going on and on and on about his toys and his sisters and everything - a normal little boy."

She also revealed that she had not left her house during the entire time that her son had been missing.
"Obviously you think, who these people are, will he be treated well, how's he coping, things like that.
"But now it's said he's unharmed, been looked after very well, which is really, really good, the way I wanted it as well.
"That's really reassured me, I'm really glad about that report. I'm just waiting for my little boy to come back - that's all I want now."
Police said that Sahil had also spoken by phone to his father.
Sahil was found 20 miles away from Jhelum, near a village school in the town of Dinga in the Gujrat district, local police said.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thompson of Greater Manchester Police said members of Sahil's family were due to fly to Pakistan as soon as possible to bring him back to the UK.
He said: "At this time, I believe he is well, considering the terrible ordeal that he will have been through."
Sahil is now with family in Pakistan and with Pakistani police, ACC Thompson added. He also said that while police did not expect to make imminent arrests in the UK, there could be arrests in other parts of Europe.
He said "things were moving very quickly" in relation to the investigation and that he was unable to comment on whether a ransom had been paid, because of the ongoing criminal investigation.

 "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," he said.
The boy had been visiting relatives with his father, Raja Saeed, who returned to the UK last week, against the wishes of Pakistan's police.


The British High Commissioner in Islamabad, Adam Thompson, said Sahil's release was "fantastic news".
"It brings to an end the traumatic ordeal faced by Sahil Saeed's family," he said.
"I would like to praise the high level of co-operation between the UK and Pakistani authorities and in particular I would like to thank the Jhelum police for their role in bringing about the safe return of Sahil."
The Foreign Office said it had no further details of the release at present.
Sahil was taken when robbers broke into his grandmother's house. Up to 10 family members inside the house were said to have been beaten by the intruders during a six-hour ordeal.
The robbers then took items believed to be jewelery and money and fled with the boy.
The raiders had apparently demanded a £100,000 ransom for the boy's return, but his family had said there was "no way" they could afford any such payment.

Kidnapping was not rare in Pakistan, and even when ransoms were handed over, such cases did not always end happily.
The policy of the Foreign Office is that it does not pay ransoms and it advises others not to do so.
The law minister of Punjab province, Rana Sanaullah, was asked on ARY TV on Tuesday whether Sahil's father had paid a ransom to secure his child's release.
He said the money had been paid "not in Britain, but in another country".


Jane Sheridan, head teacher at Rushcroft Primary School, said: "We are delighted to hear that Sahil has been released safe and well.
"Along with his family, we eagerly await his return to Oldham, and back to Rushcroft where he has been missed by his friends and teachers."
Last week, relatives of the boy spoke of their anguish after false reports that he had been found and handed over to his father.
His uncle, Raja Khalid Bashir, said at the time that it was "like losing him a second time".
In Oldham, Sahil's mother had appealed to the kidnappers for the safe return of her son, saying: "I just want my son back. All is forgiven, I will forgive you."
After Sahil was taken, several men - including a taxi driver - were arrested.
Four police officers have been suspended for not initially responding to the family's emergency call.
But Aleem Maqbool said it is now clear that the police do not have any suspects in custody.

British boy kidnapped in Pakistan for £100,000 ransom

 A five-year-old British boy has been kidnapped by armed robbers in Pakistan, local police have said.

Sahil Saeed, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was abducted in Jhelum, where his family were on holiday.
Robbers broke into where they were staying, in Punjab province, on Wednesday night and have demanded a ransom of about £100,000.

The British High Commission is in touch with his family and local authorities have launched an investigation.
George Sherriff, a spokesman for the commission in Islamabad, said they were "continually monitoring the situation".


The spokesman said the family had been due to fly back to Britain on Thursday following a two-week visit.
The boy's father, Raja Naqqah Saeed, had been visiting his mother in Pakistan with Sahil.

They were about to leave for the airport to return to the UK at 2300 local time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday when four men - armed with guns and a grenade - approached the house.


Up to 10 family members inside the house were beaten by the intruders in a six-hour ordeal during the night.
The robbers eventually fled with the boy, demanding a ransom equivalent to £100,000. They also took household items, believed to be jewelery and money.

The intruders said they would be back in touch at 0700 GMT, although the boy's father said he had not heard from them.


Mr Saeed, who has been based in the UK for about seven years, told that his son, who only speaks English, was a child who "loves everyone".

"I don't have any money at all. They can take me if they want - just let my son come back," he said. "I am nothing without him."

And, speaking at the family's home in Oldham, the child's mother, Akila Naqqash, said there was no chance her family would be able to pay the ransom.


Fearing for the safety of her "bubbly" child, the boy's mother said she had no idea why her son had been targeted.

She said: "Sahil is a really quiet child - he's no harm to nobody. Why would they want to take my son? What have we done? We've done nothing wrong. This is a normal holiday. Every family takes a holiday.

"How is he coping with strangers? Four grown men. I don't know what they are doing to him. I just want him back."

Jane Sheridan, head teacher of Rushcroft Primary School, which Sahil attends, said everyone was "deeply concerned" about his welfare and they were doing all they could to support his family.

Punjab police are taking this very seriously and a large team is working on the case.


He says the chief of police is now involved and officers think the kidnapping is unlikely to be the result of a family feud or a personal grudge.

Our correspondent says there are isolated incidents of kidnapping in Pakistan by criminal gangs who want to make money, occasionally linked to militant groups.

However, he says there is nothing to suggest this is the case in this kidnapping.

Our correspondent says Jhelum is not in a tribal area and is a relatively safe part of Pakistan, where many British Pakistanis are from.

He says police are confident they will bring the case to a successful conclusion.