Kidnapped son of assassinated Pakistan governor found after 5 years

The kidnapped son of a liberal governor assassinated by his bodyguard is found, senior officials say, just over a week after his father’s killer was hanged.

Shahbaz Taseer was kidnapped by Islamist gunmen, reportedly the Taliban, from the city of Lahore in August 2011, months after his father Salmaan was killed for opposing the country’s controversial blasphemy laws.

Aitzaz Goraya, head of the Counter-Terrorism Department of southwestern Balochistan province tells AFP: “Yes, we have recovered him.”

“Acting on a tip off, intelligence forces and police went to a compound in the Kuchlak district some 25 kilometres north of Quetta,” Goraya adds.

“We surrounded the compound and we raided it. We didn’t find anyone. A single person was there and he told us my name is Shahbaz and my father’s name is Salmaan Taseer.”

Goraya describes Taseer, who is in his early thirties, as being in “feeble” health.

— AFP