KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed grave concern and condemned the kidnapping today of Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former Prime Minister and PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gillani and PPP(P) candidate from PP200 in Multan.

The president who also called Yousuf Raza Gilani described the kidnapping of Ali Haider Gilani as a most reprehensible act of a cowardly enemy.

Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the president also called upon relevant government agencies to get into action to recover the kidnapped Gilani safely and bring the culprits to book.

The president said that progressive democratic parties had already expressed their serious apprehensions about militant threats and had called upon the Election Commission and the government to take appropriate measures so that the elections were not hijacked by extremists.

The president said that democratic forces will not be deterred by such cowardly acts and will continue to fight the militants and extremists to the finish and make the ongoing democratic transition process a success.

Story by Asif Mahmood