Advertisement
Happy family’s wait for Sahil
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 17 March 2010
DAD FLIES OUT TO BRING HIS KIDNAPPED SON HOME
THE father of kidnap victim Sahil Saeed was expected to land in Pakistan today to bring his five-year-old home to huge celebrations in Oldham.
Overjoyed mum Akila Naqqash is expecting her son back within 24 hours after revealing how it felt like a dream to speak to him on his release.
Sahil’s grandmother Tasneem Bashir said the family had collected him from a police station in Jhelum and they were now in a safe house at the British Consulate in Islamabad and waiting to reunite him with dad Raja Naqqash Saeed.
Police revealed how the little boy was found barefooted and shaven-headed in a field yesterday, 20 miles from where he had been snatched by men wielding guns and grenades, after his abductors freed him.
He was safe and well and able to speak to his mum over the telephone, who beamed broadly as she revealed: “The first thing he said was, ‘Mummy mummy I’ve bought some new toys’.”
Speaking from her home in Queen Street, Shaw, she added: “We are overjoyed. I am over the moon. He hasn’t mentioned anything about what happened. He was talking about his sisters.
“When he comes back I am going to give him a big kiss and cuddles and keep him happy.”
There will be a big party with excited friends and teachers at Rushcroft Primary School.
Former Oldham Mayor and family friend Riaz Ahmad said: “I think Sahil will be home fairly quickly. The family appreciates all the help, support and prayers from the community, authorities and media.”
But there remains confusion in Pakistan with no new arrests made and conflicting reports over whether a ransom had been paid. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed that an international gang had demanded that money was paid in a European country but this has not been confirmed. It has left British Pakistanis in Oldham fearful of travelling to the country and Akila revealed she would never go back to Pakistan.
GMP Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thompson said: “Sahil has been through a terrible ordeal but appears unharmed and physically OK.”
He said Pakistani police want to reunite Sahil with his parents as soon as possible, adding: “It’s been incredibly devastating but they have come through it very well. Emotionally I think it will come out now.”
Sahil was snatched from his grandmother’s house on March 4 at the end of a two-week stay with his father.
Oldham Council leader Councillor Howard Sykes said: “On behalf of Oldham Council and all the borough’s citizens let me say I am absolutely delighted that Sahil has been found safe and well.
“Everyone in the borough has been hoping for a happy ending to this story and this has been achieved.”
Comments
You don't speak on behalf of me Sykes, and it shows your arrogance to think that you do.
The way the truth about this disgraceful set up is being glossed over is disturbing. The child was never at any sort of risk or mistreatment.
The three arrests in Spain are pertinent. Why has the father kept such a low profile since flashing his son's passports to the media on day one?
I'm really happy for the boy to be returning home, but, This story is just so bizarre, I just don't get it!!!
One minute the little boy was found then he wasn't, A ransom had been made then it hadn't. Just don't get it!
Sykes does not speak for me either, this has been a very bizarre story and I have no doubt the politicians have been sniffing for votes.
i am so happy that the lilttle boy has been found i wish his famaliy all the best and may allah keep ur famaliy happy insahallah
Nice one ! At last some good news for this beleaguered town. Let's hope the cynics are wrong.
I am pleased that this small boy is safe and well but being honest i never thought he was in any danger.!! We all want to know where the ransom money came from when our government have made it clear on other occasions that kidnappers will never be paid ??? anyway lets hope that the truth will be out pretty soon. It really is a very strange story and one that we dont want repeated.
It has been reported that the father was under orders to move about from one place to another by the kidnappers and that's why the public weren't aware of where he actually was. If anything more sinister is behind the kidnap no doubt, as has been said before, 'it will all come out in the wash'.
So, all those 'suggestions' that have cropped up over the past two weeks may have to be put to bed. It appears, judging by reports now coming through, that the 'missing father' whose 'whereabouts were unknown' was, indeed, acting under police instructions and was involved in the investigation throughout.
So, we should get the full story soon but, it seems, that the police out there gave out some 'misleading information' purposely in order that the undercover investigation would not be impeded.
ProDriver and hustings: Like you, I dislike Sykes and his ilk intensely. I too object to him speaking 'on my behalf', when this is so clerarly a case of an unpopular bloke on his way out of office, sucking up to the electorate. However, in this instance, are you really saying that you disagree with what he said? Are you honestly saying that you were hoping for a different outcome, with the young lad not safely returned to his family?
Nobbly, I think what the posters are saying is that they are quite capable of speaking for themselves in being thankful that the young lad is safe.
They, and me included, do not need some incompetent councillor trying to speak for us.
ON the news it seems that greater Manchester Police may have topped the ranson paid,if so that is a disgrace and were is wooley phil,he as been quiet for a while???
Like him or not. "...Oldham Council leader Councillor Howard Sykes.." means he is speaking with a certain amount of Authority, or are you saying a democratically elected leader in even this "democracy" has no right to do so. In that case condemn Gordon Brown who speaks on the international stage for the whole of the U.K. at every opportunity.
LINDA y dont u say wwhaat you really mean? the money was raised by the asian community who pulled together but u prob have aproblem with that too, wts wrong have u not got nobody? awww shame
Have Your Say
Great news that Sahil is safe and well. If media reports are true, I ask myself how an unemployed taxi driver & supermarket worker with 4 kids can raise approx. £80k! Conveniently most of the ransom was found in the arrests... Everybody lives happily ever after. With such huge worldwide media attention on this story, watch out for 'exclusive' interviews from the family in the coming weeks. Unfortunatley, Sahil is just an innocent pawn in this whole bizarre event. Maybe I'm just being cynical?
By gedhart @ 17/03/2010 14:37:27