FAISALABAD, Feb 20: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has reportedly directed the police to recover Zahid Saleem, who was abducted to pile pressure on his family to pardon a convict.

Rehana Saleem, a City District Assembly member and mother of the abductee, said that her son had been kidnapped on Jan 24 last. She said that kidnappers forced the victim family to forgive accused Saquib alias Saqi who had murdered Muhammad Riaz in 1989 over a minor issue. Saquib had been awarded death sentence.

She said that Zahid Saleem was a nephew of deceased Riaz Ahmed and kidnappers were demanding a written agreement for the release of Saquib.

The Punjab chief minister, she said, had set a deadline for recovery of the abductee, but the police failed to do so. Now, she said, the prime minister assured the victim family by telephone that Saleem would soon be recovered as he had given standing instructions to the police.

With tears in her eyes, the aged mother urged the police high-ups to recover her son from the clutches of kidnappers.

It may be mentioned that Asim, the son of deceased Riaz, had been kidnapped for the same reason in August 2005, but the police had recovered the abductee after some hectic efforts.

Special police teams have been constituted for the recovery of Zahid Saleem while some suspects have also been taken into custody.

Soomro: Acting President Muhammadmian Soomro will pay a short visit to Chiniot on Feb 23.

According to the Old Students Association of the Government Islamia College, Chiniot, he will attend the annual convocation of the college and confer degrees upon successful students of various sessions from 2002-2005.