Ali Haider Gilani says his kidnappers not from TTP: Nisar

E-Paper | March 04, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday confirmed to a private TV channel that the government has received video footage of Ali Haider Gilani in which he said that his kidnappers were not from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Gilani, the son of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, is also alleged to have said that his family is not taking serious steps for his release.

The kidnappers have asked for Rs500 million for Gilani’s release instead of the earlier demand of Rs2 billion, said Nisar, adding that the captive can be seen bounded by chains in the video.

This is the first time that any contact was made by him and his captors with the Gilani family since his abduction in from Multan on May 9, 2013 from outside a Pakistan People’s Party office.

In the said video, Gilani says that he will be killed if serious steps are not taken for his release.

Meanwhile, Newsweek quoted a security official in its news report, who said that Gilani questioned his family.

“Why are you people not paying the ransom to the militants to get me released from their custody?” Gilani asked in the video.

The official further added that Gilani appeared haggard and was handcuffed.

“He looked very weak and requested his family to pay the money as soon as possible.”

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shuaib

Apr 25, 2014 11:19pm

Glad to know he is alive.

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Parvez

Apr 26, 2014 12:04am

If Ch.Nisar goes on this way we will soon hear that the government is nominating the TTP for the Nobel Peace Prize. I would not say this for most others but for the senior Gilani ........providence works in strange ways to punish those who deserve to be punished.

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Fiz

Apr 26, 2014 01:19am

Did they (TTP) asked him to say that in the video? Otherwise there was no need to mention it.

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Ganga Din

Apr 26, 2014 01:28am

"The kidnappers have asked for Rs500 million for Gilani

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Laeeq,NY

Apr 26, 2014 01:41am

They did not eliminated these terrorist while they were in government. There were many other people, less than well off as Gilanis's and were kidnapped and were released after a hefty ransom. There is still Governor Tasir's son in their custody and no one looks like interested in his release. How helpless is our Government in front of these terrorists, one can guess easily.

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Amir Bangash

Apr 26, 2014 01:53am

The kidnapping case of Ali Haider Gilani is among few reported incidents, otherwise hundreds of such cases are solved privately by payment of ransom to the kidnappers. This also gives encouragement to the kidnappers to continue with such heinous crimes. It is the responsibly of Government to recover kidnapped people as soon as possible because their families continuously remain under prolonged stress. The kidnappers should be given punishment whenever they are arrested.

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Syed

Apr 26, 2014 04:09am

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MSAlvi

Apr 26, 2014 05:07am

@Laeeq,NY Everybody is complaining about government's inaction. This government is not capable of doing it. Bring Musharraf back, and make him president of Pakistan. He can easily fix the terrorism problem. His record shows that he can.

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APatel, USA

Apr 26, 2014 06:13am

Something wrong somewhere. The ransom amount reduced by 75%, the captors/ kidnappers making Ali Haider say that it is not TTP behind all this episode and that also after a month of the kidnapping. If the motive behind kidnapping is solely the RANSOM MONEY and if TTP is not involved, still then the kidnappers will never disclose themselves and will keep TTP name upfront as TTP is in better position to bargain. Everything seems to be a political stunt and the concerned authorities should keep aside all the protocol and start questioning the family and friends of the KIDNAPPED and also their political affiliates.

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rana1

Apr 26, 2014 07:02am

@MSAlvi ......sure after all musharaf is the guy who agreed to USA drone strikes, so he is is out....mmmmmmm......not the man to be trusted with this job sir

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zafarov

Apr 26, 2014 09:12am

@Syed Messages of hostages are dictated by their captors. His disparaging words about his own family betray the frustration of his captors because the ransom has not materialised. Considering what Gilani's family must be going through, your comment is petty, nasty and spiteful.

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Youth

Apr 26, 2014 12:32pm

TTP are the best peoples in Pakistan, they only play with bombs etc and in the process peoples get killed. Come on Ch. Nisar Sahib, nobody will buy your information. Suddenly TTP looks good to you. They have already claimed this kidnapping in the past & I can bet if the on going talks will fail you will again change your instance.

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Amir Bangash

Apr 26, 2014 01:36pm

@Syed. Such remarks will only add to the grief and pain of his family. Looking at the prevailing lawlessness in the country this can happen to any one and I think every one should condemn such heinous crime.

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Shafiq Khan

Apr 27, 2014 03:26pm

It is sad and strange. The kidnappers got in touch and the government agencies sitting on their hands. I acknowledge that this is a big world and the kidnappers are not sitting round the corner from Multan, but an imaginative researches can solve the problem with honest police work. You may remember the ransom demand in Europe where at least the police resources of Spain, Italy, France and the UK worked to arrest the culprits, in a French airport, soon after first the contact. Yes, there can not be ringside commentary, but some results will show the willingness on the part of the authorities to do something. It is the pattern of such cases going undetected that brings intelligence services into disrepute.

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