Kidnapped British boy found safe in Pakistan

The five-year-old British boy kidnapped on holiday in Pakistan nearly two weeks ago has been found, British officials and his family confirmed today. Sahil Saeed was snatched from a house in the Punjab region of the country on 4 March, after robbers held his family hostage at gunpoint. He is believed to have been recovered by police after being dumped by kidnappers in Kharian, about 40km from Jhelum the town in the Punjab province where he was taken. "Sahil is in police custody," said the boy's grandfather Raja Basharat, speaking to Pakistani media. "God willing, they will bring him top our house. The whole family has gathered here waiting." Sahil, from Oldham, was on holiday with his father Raja Naqqash Saeed, visiting family in Jhelum, when robbers broke into the house and took the boy away. The British High Commission in Islamabad said today he had been released and was safe, describing his recovery as "fantastic news". "It brings to an end the traumatic ordeal faced by Sahil Saeed's family," said Adam Thomson, the British High Commissioner in Islamabad. "I would like to praise the high level of cooperation 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." Rana Sanaullah, the provincial law minister, said there had never previously been so much government effort put into such a kidnapping case. He said that Pakistani intelligence were also involved in the boy's recovery. Sanaullah added, without explaining further: "He (Sahil) was safe and sound for the last four to five days. It was just a question of (securing) his custody." Last week Sanaullah had mistakenly announced that Sahil had been recovered, mixing up the case with that of another kidnapped boy.x Raiders had struck as the pair were preparing to take a taxi to the airport for their flight home to the UK. The kidnappers originally set a deadline of noon the next day for the money to be delivered. After Sahil was taken, several men - including a taxi driver - were arrested. His family suffered frustrations during the investigation, after Pakistani authorities said on several occasions they were close to securing the boy's release. Sahil's mother, Akila Naqqash, begged for the safe return of her son back home in Oldham, telling the kidnappers at one point: "I just want my son back. All is forgiven, I will forgive you." Naqqash Saeed returned to the UK at the start of last week, despite reports police in Pakistan wanted him to stay in the country as a witness.