Multan police clueless about abducted Ali Haider Gilani

MULTAN: The police continue to be clueless about the whereabouts of Ali Haider Gilani, who was kidnapped after gunmen shot dead two of his associates at an election meeting here on Thursday, Geo News reported.

Ali Haider, the son of former prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, is contesting elections from PP-200. He was snatched after addressing a corner meeting in Farrukh Town in the limits of Seetal Marri Police Station here.

Eyewitnesses said the gun wielding attackers forced him into a numberless waiting car and were gone in no time, but before laying their hands on Ali Haider, they gunned down his personal secretary Mohyuddin Bhutta and a bodyguard.

According to sources police were investigating this high profile abduction on these three lines: 1) Either it could be a result of personal vendetta, 2) Or someone may have kidnapped him to rake in tons of ransom, and 3) Or Taliban seized him to deal a blow to Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) election campaign.

While the Taliban has not claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, the group has targeted PPP, as well as other secular and religious parties, throughout the campaign leading up to Saturday's election.

According to Chief Police Officer (CPO), Multan, Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, the tally of his abductors could be 6-8.

Appealing to the abductors to release his younger brother, Ali Musa Gilani, a PPP candidate running for a seat in National Assembly, said he was ready to sacrifice anything for his brother even his election race.

Earlier, Multan police chief, Dogar, told reporters that a black car and a motorcycle incident. Dogar said that entry and exit points of the city and adjoining districts have been sealed to arrest the culprits.
Another eyewitness said that Haider Gilani was having no police security cover.

The number of kidnappers, according to the police then, was about four to six. They said a pedestrian was also wounded in the gunfire and was shifted to Nishtar Hospital.

Nishtar Hospital Director Emergency Dr Azhar said Gilani’s security guard, Muhammad Ameen, was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.An eyewitness said his secretary Mohiuddin Bhutta was killed on the spot.

According to the account of a local resident, who was at the rally by the time of Haider’s kidnapping, the attackers first pulled up in a car and motorcycle outside the venue where the younger Gilani was meeting with a few hundred supporters.

When he came out of the building, two gunmen opened fire, killing his secretary instantly. “One of the gunmen grabbed Haider who had blood splashed on his trousers,” said Shehryar Ali in comments aired by Geo News.

Speaking to reporters, former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani appeared shaken but composed. He said two of his son’s guards were killed in the attack, but he did not know whether his son was wounded.

“His two guards were shielding him, and they died,” said the former premier told media. “I urge all of my party supporters to remain peaceful and participate in the vote,” he said.It was not immediately known who abducted Gilani or why.

He condemned the killing of a PPP worker and kidnapping of his son. “The election is a national obligation and we will not boycott,” he said. “Kidnapping of my son, a PPP’s candidate for PP-200, following killing of his secretary in a firing attack, is a horrific incident,” he said.