KARACHI: Former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday met Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif along with his son Ali Haider Gilani and thanked the COAS for army’s efforts for the safe recovery of his son from the kidnappers’ clutches.

Ali Haider was got freed by the Afghan and US forces in May in a joint operation conducted in Afghanistan, more than three years after his kidnapping from Multan.

A brief statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations said: “Former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani along with his son Ali Haider Gilani called on COAS [chief of army staff]. Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani thanked COAS for his efforts leading towards recovery of his son.”

Ali Haider was kidnapped from his hometown in May 2013, two days before the general elections while he was busy campaigning for the polls.

Ali Haider was recovered from Ghazni province in the operation carried out against Al Qaeda which wanted the release of some women from the family of the terrorist group’s leader Ayman al Zwahiri in exchange for his freedom.

Though nothing much was shared officially about the Gilanis’ meeting with Gen Sharif, multiple tweets by the former prime minister and his son gave a brief of the discussion between the two sides.

“[I] met COAS Gen Raheel along with my son @alihaidergilani,” said the ex-PM in one tweet. “We discussed issues concerning national security and the success of Zarb-i-Azab. [We] thanked army chief for all the efforts of Pak Army for @alihaidergilani [Ali Haider Gillani’s] safety and recovery,” he said.

“Just met COAS Gen Raheel Sharif,” the younger Gilani said in his tweet, adding: “I told him he is the only person in Pakistan Taliban fear. Brave solider.”

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2016