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Police confident of UK boy rescue | Police confident of UK boy rescue |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Police in Pakistan have said they are confident that a five-year-old British boy kidnapped at gunpoint will be returned to his family. | Police in Pakistan have said they are confident that a five-year-old British boy kidnapped at gunpoint will be returned to his family. |
Sources said officers were questioning two arrested people "very close" to those suspected of taking Sahil Saeed. | Sources said officers were questioning two arrested people "very close" to those suspected of taking Sahil Saeed. |
Sahil, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, and his father were at a house in the Punjab city of Jhelum on Wednesday when robbers broke in and seized the boy. | Sahil, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, and his father were at a house in the Punjab city of Jhelum on Wednesday when robbers broke in and seized the boy. |
The attackers are said to have demanded a £100,000 ransom for Sahil's return. | The attackers are said to have demanded a £100,000 ransom for Sahil's return. |
A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that one man had been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. | A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that one man had been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. |
They can take me if they want - just let my son come back. I am nothing without him Raja Saeed | |
However, the BBC understands that the two people being questioned are among several to have been arrested. | However, the BBC understands that the two people being questioned are among several to have been arrested. |
Islamabad correspondent Aleem Maqbool said police sources had revealed that officers traced the kidnappers through calls made on mobile phones stolen from Sahil's family. | Islamabad correspondent Aleem Maqbool said police sources had revealed that officers traced the kidnappers through calls made on mobile phones stolen from Sahil's family. |
Speaking at the family's home in Oldham, Sahil's mother, Akila Naqqash, said they were getting no information from British officials. | |
"I want the government to do something because they have not responded to us, anything - what stage they're at, how they're going to help," she said. | |
The family felt powerless and her son would be scared, she added. | |
Armed intruders | Armed intruders |
Pakistani police investigator Raja Tahir Bashir said: "God willing, we will recover the boy very soon," he said, declining to give further details. | Pakistani police investigator Raja Tahir Bashir said: "God willing, we will recover the boy very soon," he said, declining to give further details. |
"We are doing whatever is possible." | "We are doing whatever is possible." |
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. |
Akila Naqqash, Saihil's mother: "He's just a little boy. What has he done wrong?" | |
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. |
The robbers took items believed to be jewellery and money and fled with the boy. They have demanded a ransom equivalent to £100,000. | The robbers took items believed to be jewellery and money and fled with the boy. They have demanded a ransom equivalent to £100,000. |
They said they would be back in touch, but the boy's father said he had not heard from them. | They said they would be back in touch, 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 he was ready to swap places with his only son. | Mr Saeed, who has been based in the UK for about seven years, told BBC News he was ready to swap places with his only son. |
"I don't have any money at all," he said. "They can take me if they want - just let my son come back. I am nothing without him." | "I don't have any money at all," he said. "They can take me if they want - just let my son come back. I am nothing without 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. |
This is the number one priority for the Foreign Office in Pakistan Phil Woolas Family's MP | |
Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan described the kidnapping as a "condemnable act" that had caused the Pakistani government concern. | Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan described the kidnapping as a "condemnable act" that had caused the Pakistani government concern. |
George Sherriff, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad, said it was "continually monitoring the situation" and was in touch with Sahil's family. | George Sherriff, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad, said it was "continually monitoring the situation" and was in touch with Sahil's family. |
Our correspondent said officers thought the kidnapping was unlikely to be the result of a family feud or personal grudge. | Our correspondent said officers thought the kidnapping was unlikely to be the result of a family feud or personal grudge. |
He said there were isolated incidents of kidnapping in Pakistan by criminal gangs who wanted to make money, occasionally linked to militant groups. | He 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 says Jhelum is not in a tribal area and is a relatively safe part of Pakistan, where many British Pakistanis are from. | Our correspondent says Jhelum is not in a tribal area and is a relatively safe part of Pakistan, where many British Pakistanis are from. |
The family's MP, Immigration Minister Phil Woolas, said the family was being supported by the authorities in both the UK and Pakistan. | The family's MP, Immigration Minister Phil Woolas, said the family was being supported by the authorities in both the UK and Pakistan. |
"This is the number one priority for the Foreign Office in Pakistan. But the focus is still on the police operation." | "This is the number one priority for the Foreign Office in Pakistan. But the focus is still on the police operation." |
He added that the government would review its travel advice for this area of Pakistan once the situation was resolved. | He added that the government would review its travel advice for this area of Pakistan once the situation was resolved. |