Mother of British boy, 5, kidnapped by armed gang begs for his release

His mother today issued a direct plea to his captors begging "bring him back please".

Akila Naqqash sobbed and struggled to speak as she appealed to the gang holding the five-year-old to release her "sweet and good little boy".

Sahil Saeed was on holiday with his father Raja Naqqash Saeed when they were ambushed and tortured during a six-hour ordeal at his grandmother's house in the Punjab.

Mr Saeed told how the family were repeatedly beaten, slapped and kicked after the break-in at 11pm local time (6pm GMT) yesterday.

Speaking from the family home in Oldham, Mrs Naqqash said: "He is a sweet boy, so bubbly and gets along with everybody. I spoke to my husband this morning and he was just trying to reassure me saying they are doing everything to get him back."

The mother-of-three added: "I just want my son back home safe. What has he done to anyone? He is a just a five-year-old. He is a good little boy.

"I am just saying prayers for him as that's all I can do from here. I am begging anyone who knows him to please pray for him too."

The gang, who were armed with guns and hand grenades, are demanding a £100,000 ransom for Sahil's safe return. They also fled with jewellery and 150,000 rupees (£1,100).

Mr Saeed had been due to fly back to Britain with Sahil today after a two-week holiday visiting the boy's grandmother and relatives in the town of Jhelum, 75 miles south-east of Islamabad. It is believed they were in Pakistan visiting a sick relative. Sahil's two sisters, one younger and one older, remained at home with their mother.

Mr Saeed, who has been living in England for seven years, said: "They took my son. They were fully loaded with guns and hand grenades. They took me into the separate room and they tortured me.

"They said we will take your son and you will have to pay £100,000'. They took everything off us, they took everything in our house." He added that the kidnappers told him to expect a call later today with ransom details.

"The kidnappers are going to ring me," he said. "I don't know what they are going to say to me. I don't have that much money. I can't afford that." British officials are in touch with the family and local authorities are investigating.

Inspector Mutheen, based in Jhelum, said officers had found the kidnappers' car abandoned on a dirt track.

He said: "All our officers are working on this case. They must have abandoned the car because they thought they were being followed. All we know at the moment is there were four men armed with guns.

"We suspect they had been watching the family and thought they would have money because they are from England. I think money is the only motive here and God willing we will be able to get the boy back unharmed."

A spokesman for the British High Commission in Islamabad said it was providing consular assistance to the family.