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| Family's plea for kidnapped boy | Family's plea for kidnapped boy |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The family of a British boy kidnapped at gunpoint in Pakistan have made an emotional plea for his safe return. | The family of a British boy kidnapped at gunpoint in Pakistan have made an emotional plea for his safe return. |
| Akila Naqqash, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said she had no idea why her innocent five-year-old son had been targeted and feared for his safety. | Akila Naqqash, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said she had no idea why her innocent five-year-old son had been targeted and feared for his safety. |
| Sahil Saeed and his father were at a relative's house in the Punjab city of Jhelum on Wednesday when robbers broke in and abducted the boy, police say. | Sahil Saeed and his father were at a relative's house in the Punjab city of Jhelum on Wednesday when robbers broke in and abducted the boy, police say. |
| The attackers are said to have demanded £100,000 ransom for Sahil's return. | The attackers are said to have demanded £100,000 ransom for Sahil's return. |
| Local police have launched a major investigation and say they are confident they will find the little boy soon. | Local police have launched a major investigation and say they are confident they will find the little boy soon. |
| The boy's father, Raja Saeed, had been in Pakistan for two weeks visiting his mother with Sahil. | The boy's father, Raja Saeed, had been in Pakistan for two weeks visiting his mother with Sahil. |
| Mr Saeed said they were just about to leave for the airport at 2300 local time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday when four men - armed with guns and a grenade - approached the house. | Mr Saeed said they were just about to leave for the airport 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 during a six-hour ordeal, he said. | Up to 10 family members inside the house were beaten by the intruders during a six-hour ordeal, he said. |
| Mother of kidnapped boy says she is afraid | Mother of kidnapped boy says she is afraid |
| The robbers took household items, believed to be jewellery and money, and fled with the boy. | The robbers took household items, believed to be jewellery and money, and fled with the boy. |
| They are demanding a ransom equivalent to £100,000. | They are demanding a ransom equivalent to £100,000. |
| They said they would be back in touch at 0700 GMT, but the boy's father said he had not heard from them. | They said they would be back in touch at 0700 GMT, but 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 BBC News 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." | "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. | 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. |
| "Sahil is a really quiet child - he's no harm to nobody," she said. | "Sahil is a really quiet child - he's no harm to nobody," she said. |
| "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. | "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." | "How is he coping with strangers? Four grown men. I don't know what they are doing to him." |
| 'Relatively safe' | 'Relatively safe' |
| 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. | 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. |
| Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan described the kidnapping as a "condemnable act" that has caused the Pakistani government concern. | Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan described the kidnapping as a "condemnable act" that has caused the Pakistani government concern. |
| Earlier reports suggested an arrest had been made but Pakistan police insist no prime suspect has been arrested in connection with the kidnap. | Earlier reports suggested an arrest had been made but Pakistan police insist no prime suspect has been arrested in connection with the kidnap. |
| Raja Naqqah Saeed, Sahil's father: "I want to give my son back to my wife" | Raja Naqqah Saeed, Sahil's father: "I want to give my son back to my wife" |
| George Sherriff, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad, said they were "continually monitoring the situation" and were in touch with Sahil's family. | George Sherriff, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad, said they were "continually monitoring the situation" and were in touch with Sahil's family. |
| The BBC's Aleem Maqbool said Punjab police were taking this very seriously and a large team was working on the case. | The BBC's Aleem Maqbool said Punjab police were taking this very seriously and a large team was working on the case. |
| He said officers thought the kidnapping was unlikely to be the result of a family feud or a personal grudge. | He said officers thought the kidnapping was unlikely to be the result of a family feud or a personal grudge. |
| Our correspondent said there were isolated incidents of kidnapping in Pakistan by criminal gangs who wanted to make money, occasionally linked to militant groups. | Our correspondent said there were isolated incidents of kidnapping in Pakistan by criminal gangs who wanted to make money, occasionally linked to militant groups. |
| However, there was nothing to suggest this was the case in this kidnapping, he added. | However, there was nothing to suggest this was the case in this kidnapping, he added. |
| Our correspondent said Jhelum was not in a tribal area and was a relatively safe part of Pakistan, where many British Pakistanis were from. | Our correspondent said Jhelum was not in a tribal area and was a relatively safe part of Pakistan, where many British Pakistanis were from. |
| He said police were confident they would bring the case to a successful conclusion. | He said police were confident they would bring the case to a successful conclusion. |