Hostage terror of Oldham boy

Sahil Saeed - ransom demand

Five year old snatched at gunpoint in Pakistan

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD Oldham boy is being held hostage in Pakistan for a £100,000 ransom after he was kidnapped at gunpoint.

Sahil Saeed was snatched this morning after his family were beaten, slapped and kicked by robbers during a six-hour ordeal.

His father, Raja Naqqash Saeed told Sky News: “They took me into a separate room and they tortured me.

“They said ‘we will take your son and you will have to pay £100,000.’”

The horrific ordeal took place at a house in the Punjab region, where the family were on holiday.

The robbers held the family at gunpoint throughout the night after breaking in at 11pm local time, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad said.

They eventually fled with the boy and household items, believed to be jewellery and money.

Mr Saeed said robbers armed with guns and hand grenades broke into the house where they were staying in Jhelum. He added: “They took my son. They were fully loaded with guns and hand grenades.

“All Pakistan police know about this, and the British Consul.”

He added: “The kidnappers are going to ring me.

“I don’t know what they are going to say to me — I don’t have that much money.”

The family had been due to fly back to Britain today, the commission spokesman added.

Officials are in touch with the boy’s family and local authorities are investigating the snatch, he added.

He said: “I can confirm that he was taken after robbers broke into the property at 11 last night.

“The kidnappers held the family at gunpoint overnight and left with the boy as well as some household possessions.

“We cannot confirm details of the ransom amount but the father has said it is £100,000.

“All I can say is we are in touch with the family and the local authorities are investigating.”

The kidnappers reportedly gave Mr Saeed until noon local time (7.30am UK time) to get the money.

The boy was believed to have been staying with his grandmother when he was taken.

The Foreign Office said it was providing consular assistance to the family.