Former PM Gilani speaks to abducted son over phone

Ali Haider Gilani was kidnapped on May 9, 2013 during an election rally in his hometown Multan

MULTAN: Two years since he was abducted from Multan, Ali Haider Gilani spoke to his father former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on the phone on Sunday, putting an end to speculation that he was killed in a recent drone attack.

Ali was kidnapped during an election campaign rally on May 9, 2013. His secretary and a bodyguard were killed and four people wounded.

"My son Ali Haider Gilani told me that he is happy and safe at (an) unknown place," Yousaf Raza Gilani told AFP after the phone call.

"He enquired about the health of his mother and other family members. He declined to disclose more and said that Almighty Allah will surely help us. He said that he is safe and sound and we should not be worried about him."

Meanwhile, while addressing the media, the former premier said the kidnappers have demanded “release of women and children belonging to al-Qaeda” for Ali’s release.

“If I were able to fulfill their demand, I definitely would,” Gilani said.

He stressed that only a mediator and not a direct contact with the abductors could get his son released.

The former premier also said he was told by intelligence agencies that his son was not in Pakistan, and that he also contacted Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif regarding the release of his son.

The former prime minister, along with other leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was attending the chehlum ceremony of party worker Fateh Qadiri in sub-district Jalalpur Peer Waala of Multan district. This is the same place where security forces and Multan police arrested a person said to be the mastermind behind Ali’s abduction. The suspect remains in custody.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also present at the occasion.

According to reports, PPP leader and General Secretary PPP South Punjab Javed Siddiqi received a message from an Afghan mobile number, asking him to call back immediately if they wanted to talk to Ali.

Taking Qureshi into confidence, they moved into a separate room to make the call.

The conversation lasted for almost 12 to 15 minutes, during which Ali spoke to his father and Qureshi.

This was the first conversation Ali had with his family since he was kidnapped. Ali is said to be an Asthma patient, and had a liver transplant in 2011.

According to sources, Gilani’s son was kept at a religious seminary in sub-district Kabeerwala in Khanewal district. The last unsuccessful attempt by intelligence agencies for his recovery was a raid in Akora Khattak area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), said to be a stronghold of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He was then shifted to an unknown location in Afghanistan.

A close family friend of Gilani told The Express Tribune that Ali told his father he was at a safe location, “out of reach of drones”.

As opposed to others who held him earlier, he said he was being provided better care, sources said.

Ali told Qureshi he was hopeful for his release, saying that he wanted to return and live with his family peacefully.

Gilani along with PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari recently visited Kabul to meet the Afghan leadership, where according to reports, they also made efforts for Ali’s recovery.

Family sources told The Express Tribune that the kidnappers had demanded Rs2 billion in ransom for the release of Ali when he was shifted to the neighbouring country.