Pak police investigating debt settlement theory in Brit toddlers kidnapping

LONDON - Even though the kidnapped five-year old British toddler, Sahil Saeed, was recovered unhurt, Pakistani police believe that there is more to the abduction story and has launched an investigation into Sahil’s family finances.

While Sahil’s family members have rejected any ransom being paid for his safe return, officials believe a massive amount was paid to abductors to settle a ‘long-standing debt.’

Sahil, who was kidnapped by armed robbers while he was on a visit to his grand mother’s house in Jhelum in Pakistan’s Punjab province, was found abandoned in a field in Gujrat district on Tuesday.

Soon after reports regarding Sahil’s release were flashed in the media, Punjab Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah, claimed that Sahil’s father might have negotiated with the kidnappers and that the boy was released after a ransom believed to be around 80,000 pounds was paid.

Police said their inquiry was focused on Spain where an estimated 60,000 Pakistanis live in an around Barcelona with many of them having roots in the Jhelum. source close to the investigation said they are looking into whether the kidnapping was connected to debts.

“Calls were traced to Spain. There was an element of settlement of long-standing debts,” The Daily Telegraph quoted an official close to the investigations, as saying.

Meanwhile, Sahil’s mother Akila Naqqash has denounced speculation about possible family involvement in the kidnapping.

“It is a lot of rubbish to us. We just heard what has been said on the news. We don’t know anything about it. We have had the full support of the police, churches, mosques, Pakistani overnment and authorities over there,” she said. (ANI)