The kidnapped son of Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has been rescued in Afghanistan in a joint Afghan-US special forces operation.
ISLAMABAD – Ali Haider Gilani, the son of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, was recovered on Tuesday, during an operation in Afghanistan.
This news was conveyed by Afghan National Security Advisor Muhammad Hanif Atmar in a telephonic call to Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today.
“In an operation by Afghan Special Forces in Ghanzi Province this morning, Mr. Ali Haidar Gilani, the son of Pakistan former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was recovered after three years of captivity from an Al Qaeda-affiliated group,” said Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal in a Facebook post. “He is well and will be repatriated to his family soon,” he added.
The Afghan security advisor said that Ali Haider Gilani was recovered in a joint operation carried out by the Afghan and US security forces in Ghazni province.
Ali Haider Gilani, 29, was kidnapped three years ago in Multan as he was campaigning in elections for the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP). Gunmen on a motorbike opened fire before abducting Ali and leaving his secretary and a bodyguard dead. The Taliban were long believed to be behind the kidnapping.
In a separate statement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Gilani had been recovered in a joint Afghan-U.S. operation and would return to Pakistan following a medical check-up.
News of Gilani’s recovery was first announced by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and was later confirmed from the Foreign Office.
PM @YR_Gillani received call from ambassador of Afghanistan.His son @haidergilani has been recovered in a successful operation.Alhamdulillah
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) May 10, 2016
The former prime minister led major military offensives against Taliban strongholds like Swat and South Waziristan in 2009.
Ali Gilani‘s has been released few weeks after the kidnapped son of slain governor, Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Taseer was reunited with his family. Shahbaz Taseer had been abducted by gunmen from Lahore in August 2011, months after his father was killed for opposing the country‘s blasphemy laws.
[…] high-profile kidnapping of Shahbaz Taseer, son of former Punjab governor late Salman Taseer, and Ali Haider Gilani, son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani before the abduction of Awais Shah over the last […]