Abducters wanted to swap Gilani son with Zawahiri’s kin

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Haider Gilani – who remained in Taliban captivity for years – revealed his abductors wanted Al Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zwahiri’s relatives freed in exchange.

Mr Gilani has opened up about his ordeal after more than a month of tight-lipped return since his rescue in Afghanistan.

He said that Al Qaeda had kidnapped him and the terrorist organisation demanded freedom of few women belonging to its leader, Ayman Al-Zwahiri’s family and a hefty amount of money.

He was kept in Faisalabad for at least two and a half months after abduction, he revealed adding that in July 2013, he was shifted to Waziristan from Bannu via motorway wearing a burqa (veil).

According to Mr Gilani, there were at least ten pickets in the way but security personnel never checked identities of the passengers and used to let the vehicle go after checking identity card of the driver. He was kept in a cell which was not exposed to sunlight for 14 month, Mr Gilani said adding that he was not tortured ever but always clutched in chains and subjected to mental pressure.

He revealed that he was kept in tribal areas of Pakistan for the longest time and shifted to Afghanistan only this year. The first question the six men who had kidnapped him as he exited a rally venue in Multan following his address was, whether he belonged to Sunni sect of Islam or Shia.