Families comment on security in Jhelum area after kidnap of UK boy

(19 Mar 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of men walking in street
2. Various of members of the Shakeel family, British nationals of Pakistani origin who are from Manchester, United Kingdom
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Shakeel Ahmed, British national of Pakistani origin from Manchester, United Kingdom:
"I would like to really request to all British community and British Pakistani peoples, please don''t (be) afraid about it (referring to the kidnap of 5 year-old boy Sahil Saeed). This is about money involved and Pakistan is totally safe. The area I am living (in), I am living near Jhelum as well, and I am travelling into public transport as well. There is nothing dangerous, nothing else. This is all about to kidnap him (referring to 5 year-old boy Sahil Saeed) and ask the money, that''s all (that it''s) about."
4. Shakeel family in living room
5. Various of Sher family, British nationals of Pakistani origin who are from Oldham, United Kingdom
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Falak Sher, British national of Pakistani origin from Oldham, United Kingdom:
"Mostly, people are like really scared. Mostly families that come here with like our children because Easter holidays (are) coming and mostly families likescared. They don''t want to go Pakistan, like, after that (referring to the kidnapping). But after that, like they heard two days ago the news, like Sahil (Saeed) is released (by) the police. And people got excited and mostly families, like, build up their confidence."
7. Shakeel family in living room
8. Close-up of Jhelum police station sign
9. Police officers including Raja Yasir Kiyani at station
10. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Raja Yasir Kiyani, Jhelum police officer:
"This type of incident (referring to kidnapping of boy) can happen anywhere in the world. Crime can''t be stopped but it is possible to decrease the ratio. If this kind of incident happened again as it did with Sahil, as you saw, God willing, they recovered the child and the criminals have been arrested. We are taking extra security measures to stop this type of incident in the future."
11. Wide exterior of Jhelum police station
STORYLINE
British nationals living in Pakistan commented on Friday about security in Jhelum, the city in Punjab Province where 5-year-old Sahil Saeed was snatched by kidnappers on March 4.
The area around Jhelum is home to thousands of Pakistani-origin British nationals.
While one family of Pakistani origin has insisted the kidnapping was an isolated incident, another says many people remain concerned about their security and safety particularly when taking holidays in the country.
Shakeel Ahmed and his family are from Manchester and say British citizens should not be worried about their children being targeted.
"I would like to really request to all British community and British Pakistani peoples, please don''t (be) afraid about it (referring to the kidnap of 5 year-old boy Sahil Saeed)." Shakeel Ahmed said from his home in the Jhelum area.
"This is about money involved and Pakistan is totally safe," he added.
However, Falak Sher and his family, from Oldham, say many people in the British-Pakistani community in the UK are fearful of bringing their children to Pakistan, especially for the upcoming Easter school holiday.
Sahil Saeed, who is of Pakistani origin, was on holidays when he was snatched at gunpoint from his grandmother''s house.
He was released unharmed on Tuesday morning in a small village some 30 kilometres (20 miles) southeast of Jhelum, but many questions still remain about who abducted him and how he was released.
Most victims are Pakistani nationals.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...