ISLAMABAD, May 18: Missing Christian preacher Wilson Fazal on Tuesday escaped from the custody of kidnappers and sought refuge in Parliament Lodges in Islamabad, an official of interior ministry told Dawn.

The preacher told police that some unidentified men kidnapped him from Quetta while he had been on his way to Bashirabad Town to attend the Sunday service. He said the kidnappers were taking him to Peshawar but he managed to escape and came to Islamabad.

The official of the interior ministry said the preacher took shelter in the lodge of Asiya Nasir, (a minority MNA) at the MNA Hostel and sought police protection. Mr Wilson had been receiving threats for some time from some unidentified men and finally he was kidnapped on Sunday last, the official said.

He said the preacher had been sent to Balochistan under tight security cover after providing him necessary medical treatment. Responding to a question about the kidnappers, he said they had not been identified so far and their motive behind the abduction could not be ascertained.

Asked whether some religious elements were involved in the kidnapping, the official said: "It would be quite premature to say anything about it." He said Balochistan police had been directed to conduct a thorough investigation of the case.

Our Staff Reporter adds from Quetta: Mr Wilson's family sources told Dawn on Tuesday that the preacher had reached Islamabad. "Mr Wilson has been found and is at present staying at a safe place," minority Member of National Assembly from Balochistan Asiya Nasir confirmed to Dawn by phone. She, however, refused to give further details about the matter.