Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son returns home after 3 years

Former Pakistani PM Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Haider Gilani shakes hand with Afghan officials in Kabul. (Photo: AFP)

Mr Ali Haider Gilani, the son of Pakistan’s former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, was flown from Kabul to Lahore on Wednesday, a day after he was rescued by the US and Afghan forces from the clutches of Taliban militants who had held him hostage for three years.

Pakistan said Tuesday that American and Afghan security forces had recovered Mr Haider from Taliban militants in a joint special operation in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province after he was kidnapped from an election rally on May 9, 2013.

The family members welcomed Mr Ali Haider Gilani at the Lahore Airport.

Hundreds of people converged on the family’s home in Lahore as the news broke, dancing to drumbeats and passing around sweets in celebrations. Before leaving for Lahore on a special plane, Mr Haider said he was “looking forward to being reunited with my family”.

“I really appreciate Afghan forces who fought for my recovery,” Mr Gilani, who was bearded, clad in a white T-shirt and sporting a camouflage baseball cap, told officials at the ceremony in Kabul.

Earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul Abrar Hussain received Mr Haider at the Afghan ministry of defence around 10 am and thereafter he was taken to the airport by helicopter for onward travel to Lahore.

The foreign office said that the Pakistan leadership deeply appreciated the successful efforts of the Afghan National Army and Nato forces in recovering Mr Haider safely and for arrangements for his immediate return to Pakistan.

“Pakistan hopes that the three nations can work together to decrease and eliminate terrorism from the region. Terrorists cannot be allowed to hold governments hostage,” it said.

Meanwhile, Mr Abdul Qadir Gilani, Mr Haider’s elder brother, rejected reports that he was released after payment of ransom.

Mr Haider’s release was the second successful instance of a dramatic rescue in a high-profile kidnapping case after slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer’s son Shahbaz, who was abducted in 2011, was found in March after spending nearly five years in captivity.

Mr Haider, believed to be in his 30s, was kidnapped by gunmen in Multan just two days before the May 11, 2013 general elections which he was contesting.

Mr Gilani, who served as premier from 2008 to 2012, had said last year that the abductors had contacted him and demanded ransom for his son’s release.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, lauding NATO forces for operation. “The leadership of Pakistan has deeply appreciated the successful efforts of Afghanistan National Army and NATO forces in recovering Gilani safely and arrangements for his immediate return to Pakistan,” it added. Pakistan hoped that the three countries can work together to decrease and eliminate terrorism from the region. Gilani was rescued in the Giyan district of Paktika province ‘by US Special Operations Forces and Afghan commandos in a partnered raid’ NATO said in the statement from Kabul. Ex-PM’s son was kidnapped by militants in the outskirts of Multan on May 9, 2013, just two days before a bitterly contested national election in which he was campaigning. Gunmen on a motorbike opened fire before abducting him in a black Honda car. His secretary and a bodyguard were killed, and four people wounded. Mr Gilani’s recovery comes two months after the kidnapped son of slain Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Taseer was freed.