Ali Haider Gilani, the abducted son of former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
In a recently released video, Ali Haider Gilani – the abducted son of former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani – has said he is in custody of a militant group not part of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to a top government official, the group has demanded Rs2 billion in ransom and warned that they would kill him if their demand was not met within a month.
“The government received a video of Haidar through a back channel. In the video, he is shown in shackles, and in very bad condition. He is criticising the government and his family for not doing enough for his release,” the government functionary told reporters on Friday.
Ali Gilani was kidnapped on May 2, 2013 during an election rally in his hometown Multan. At the time of his abduction, in which his secretary and bodyguard had also got killed, a caretaker setup was in place to supervise the 2013 elections.
The Gilani family says Ali underwent liver surgery in London in 2012 and was living on heavy medicines. Conflicting reports have been coming in the media about the fate of Ali and other high-profile persons picked up by militants. The recent video, which shows him alive, is therefore a good news for the family.
Ali Gilani is among those people whose release is part of the agenda of the government and Taliban committees’ ongoing peace talks. The other two high-profile abductees are Shahbaz Taseer and Dr Ajmal.
Sources privy to the recent TTP-government committees meetings said the release of Ali and other persons in militants’ custody had come under discussion several times. The government wanted to secure their release in exchange for ‘non combatant’ Taliban prisoners, they added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2014.
COMMENTS (19)
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No matter what, no one has a right to kidnap anyone.
I think they are Taleban, but they don't want Taseer and Gillani to be part of any deal. They want them as hostage for money. That's why they have announced responsibility to a splinter group. They are all the same murderous crowd.
@excalibur: that is a very unkind remark. We can talk against Gillani but not appear to be siding with the Taleban in this case. Are you suggesting that abducting for ransom children of NS, AZ and others is OK? lets don't cross limits of decency when criticising our opponents. However, if you are Taleban type, then I withdraw my remarks.
It is so shameful. In a civilized world the state would have put all resources to the recovery of the sons of Salman Taseer and Gilani. But this is Pakistan.
@water bottle: Looks like your hate for Pakistanis is still alive and kicking. Try and think about Assam. Kerala Indian Kashmir,... [ET This is response to these hate comments against Pakistanis]
Where is BRAVE Army and INTELLIGENT ISI now?
do you remember the words, "who is stopping them" now who is stopping Gilani from going and relive his son from Taliban
I remember his father was of view if someone want to leave Pakistan .Who is stopping them ? Kidnappers also knew how much corruption was done by them .
there were rumors that his father took 25 carores to make someone political agent in tribal areas. But he did not do so that is why they kidnapped his son and asking that money back. God knows truth.
What's this then: https://www.facebook.com/syedalihaider.gillani.7?fref=ufi
Sounds like he is still using facebook on here: https://www.facebook.com/syedalihaider.gillani.7?fref=ufi
So what is the truth in him really being abducted anyway??
@Kala_bacha: This government's love is not for one province only, its for one city only "Lahore". Mind you, I am from Lahore and I am fed up of seeing flyovers and roads built while poor patients are dying in govt hospitals due to lack of proper treatment and free medicines. Morever, I usually visit other cities of Punjab and I am really sad to tell you that their condition is worse than that of Sindh or KPK. People in small cities and villages in Punjab are living a miserable life with almost 18 hours of loadshedding, leaking sewage pipes, contaminated drinking water, no proper hospitals, no proper roads and no effective structures to earn living. So don't drag entire Punjab into this, its just one city that is the focus of this poor government.
Considering the level and scale of corruption done by Yousaf Gillani, his sons and party members, PKR 2 Billion shouldn't be a problem for them.
Who gave the Government the authority to release TTP prisoners without a quid pro quo for the release of Ali Gilani and son of Taseer. The way these releases and kidnaps are being conducted it raises suspicion that some part of the ransom may be finding its way to important figures in the Government, who may even be advising the kidnappers on how negotiations should be conducted and with whom. The stink is terrible and nauseating.
Gilani can easily pay up from the looted billions he has with him
This government is nothing just one sided love of one province and rest of Pakistan paying the price
Shocking... Our people, men, women, children, elderly, policemen, soldiers are systematically being kidnapped, and butchered, while the government continues with its love affair with the terrorists. Nawaz Sharif and Ch. Nisar have been the biggest disappointment of all times.