The mother of a five-year-old British boy kidnapped by gunmen in Pakistan has told of her joy after he was released unharmed.
Sahil Saeed, who was snatched from a house in the Punjab region on March 4, was found wandering alone in a field this morning.
His mother Akila Naqqash, speaking from the family home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, described the moment she found out he had been released.
She said: "It was amazing. At first I thought it was not true. I talked to him on the phone, my little boy. It reassured me that he is safe and he's been released from the kidnappers. That's enough for me."
She said she was "gobsmacked" to hear her son's voice again on the phone.
A police liaison officer said: "They are overjoyed. For 12 or 13 days, waiting, building hopes up and then hopes going down. She is overjoyed. It is really happy, just really happy. They were made aware he had been found safe and well. Mother has spoken on the telephone and spoke to him for some time, a private conversation. He is safe and well."
Sahil is understood to still be in Pakistan and his return is being organised by the British High Commission in Islamabad. It is thought family members will fly out to be reunited with him in Pakistan before he is flown back to the UK.
Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thompson said Sahil was released at 4.10am British time in Kharian City in the Punjab.
He said: "The release was made as a result of a phone call made to his family. He was released nearby to a school, alone, wandered into a local field and was found by some local residents who looked after him until such time his family found him with the police.
"This remains a fast-moving international inquiry. It is led in Pakistan but over the last 12 days there has been considerable support delivered by the Greater Manchester Police to support the safe return of this young boy. This still remains a very active criminal investigation and Greater Manchester Police and the Pakistani authorities are still determined to bring people to justice and that will be a high priority in the coming hours days and weeks."
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