Mother says she will forgive if her son is returned unharmed

JHELUM, Mar 07 : After the passage of four days, there is no hope for the release of kidnapped Jhelum Boy of British nationality Sahil Saeed.

An anguished wail rose from the courtyard of Raja Naqqash Saeed’s home as scores of relatives awaited news of his kidnapped five-year-old son.

Pain was etched into the face of Tasnim Bashir, Sahil’s grandmother. “I’m disappointed with the Pakistani government and with the British government, with everybody. They can’t find our child. What are the authorities doing?” she said.

Sahil’s 28-year-old father flitted nervously between the main house and a courtyard where the women had gathered. The strain was reflected in mounting anxiety among the Pakistani political elite.

Hope of a quick end to the case appeared to be dwindling, however. On Friday the police had declared that Sahil would be reunited with his family within hours. “We are facing difficulties. We are not having any success in approaching the kidnappers,” said a police source.

Family members told media that they have not as yet any telephone call from the kidnappers.

Their ordeal began on Wednesday when Saeed ordered a taxi at 11pm to catch a flight to Manchester at the end of a two-week holiday to visit his sick mother.

As the courtyard gate swung open to admit the car, the men pounced and subjected the family to six hours of torture. They seized gold, jewellery and money before singling out Sahil.

Saeed said: “I think we were targeted because we are from England . The robber said, ‘We’re going to take your son. We’ve been tracking you for a week.’ ”

They told him they would call at noon on Thursday with instructions. The call never came, although there were reports that he received an anonymous call on Friday from a Spanish mobile number. In England Sahil’s mother, Akila Naqqash, 31, learnt of her son’s abduction from relatives.

She pleaded with the kidnappers: “He’s just a little boy, what has he done wrong?” It is believed the kidnap gang wants a ransom of £100,000.

There seems to be little to extort from the family. The father, who has lived in Britain for seven years, is unemployed, while his wife works in a supermarket.

“There is no way we could raise that money, there is nothing we can do,” said Naqqash. “I just want my son back. You may have children yourself. I forgive you.”

The mother of a five-year-old boy has said she will forgive his captors if he is safely returned.

Speaking from her home in Shaw, Oldham , Mrs Naqqash renewed her plea for help in tracing her son.

In a direct appeal to his captors, she said: “I just want my son back. All is forgiven, I will forgive you. “You may have children yourself. I forgive you.”

She thanked well-wishers from across the country who have sent cards to the family, which she described as a "good comfort", and said Sahil's friends had made pictures for him.

“All we can do is just pray for him. I am hopeful, I am just praying all day and every night,” she said. “All we are doing is waiting.”

Mrs Naqqash called on Gordon Brown and other governments worldwide to step up their efforts to help in the hunt for Sahil.

She pleaded: “Gordon Brown and other countries, just do anything to get my son back. We can just hope and pray, and see what they can do.”

Meanwhile Inspector General Police who held a late night meeting with Police in Jhelum on Saturday about the progress in the kidnapping case suspended four officials of Rescue 15 Jhelum for showing laxity in responding to the call for help from the family.Those police officials suspended include InchargeRescue-15 ASI Mohammad Akram and three others.