Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik has said that the ransom money was paid to kidnappers for the safe recovery of Sahil Naqqash, but declined to give the details of the amount paid, and in which country it was paid. "Life of kidnapped boy was more important so that the government used all out efforts to assure the safe recovery of the boy", the Minister said during a briefing here on Wednesday.
"It was a unique incident of kidnapping in which kidnappers were operating from four countries including France, Spain, UK and Pakistan", Malik said, adding that the law enforcement agencies of all four countries and Interpol were working for the recovery of the kidnapped Sahil.
He said that five-year-old British boy was recovered from Dinga village of Kharian on Tuesday morning. The recovery of the kidnapped boy was possible owing to well co-operated, well thought and well planned efforts of law enforcement agencies of four countries, he added.
He said that the role of Jhelum police and other law enforcing agencies was highly appreciated in this matter. "After visiting Jhelum and receiving briefings from different quarters, I assumed that the kidnappers might be from family or closed relatives of the child", Malik said. Meanwhile, Punjab Police have arrested three persons from Kharian and Lala Musa areas, besides few people were arrested abroad, police sources said.
They said that three persons, including a woman were arrested abroad while three persons have also been arrested in Pakistan- two from Kharian and one person from Lala Musa. The operation jointly conducted by Jhelum and Gujrat districts police was continued for 24 hours.