Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The kidnapped son of slain Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer was recovered by security forces from Balochistan’s Kuchlak area on Tuesday, in a major breakthrough after four-and-a-half years of abduction. Taseer wad abducted in August 2011.

“I can confirm that Shahbaz Taseer has been safely recovered. He is in safe hands now,” a spokesman for Balochistan government Anwarul Haq Kakar told Daily Times via phone. He said initial medical examination has been conducted and Shahbaz is in stable health. “He is safe and sound with the security forces. He has made initial contact with his family. Any decision regarding his shifting to Lahore from Quetta has to be taken by his family. However, Balochistan government will fully facilitate the family in this regard,” he added.

“Intelligence agencies have safely recovered Shahbaz Taseer from an area in Kuchlak,” a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. “The details of his abductors will be released shortly,” it added.

Aitzaz Goraya, head of the counter-terrorism department (CTD) of Balochistan province, said intelligence agencies and the CTD personnel conducted a joint raid at a compound in Kuchlak and recovered a person identified as Shahbaz Taseer. “Acting on a tip off, intelligence personnel and police went to a compound in Kuchlak. We surrounded the compound and raided it. We didn’t find anyone inside but a man who told us his name is Shahbaz Taseer and that his father’s name is Salmaan Taseer,” he added.

Balochistan police Inspector General Ahsan Mehboob also confirmed the report. “Shahbaz is recovered safe and sound,” he said, and added, “Intelligence agents and counter-terrorism officials rescued him after receiving information that he was being held at a hotel in Kuchlak.”

No arrests were made in the raid nor there was any confrontation with the captors, he added.

However, a well-placed source in Balochistan government told Daily Times that some arrests had also been made during the raid but the details were not being shared with media due to the ongoing operation against criminals in the area.

Kuchlak is a windy town some 25 kilometres north of provincial capital Quetta and houses a large number of Afghan refugees. Most of the refugees mainly belong to Kunnar province of Afghanistan that borders Balochistan.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who was briefing the Upper House about progress on the national action plan at the time news broke of Shahbaz Taseer’s release, also confirmed the report. “I have some good news. I just received information regarding the recovery of Salman Taseer’s son,” he told Senate. “Shahbaz Taseer has been shifted to Quetta, where he will undergo a medical examination,” he told the House. “I will share the details of the operation by security forces as soon as I receive them from the authorities concerned.”

Shahbaz Taseer’s family have thanked Allah on his recovery. They also expressed gratitude for those who stood by the family during these testing times and kept praying for the safe return of Shahbaz Taseer.