Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf Raza Gilani, was freed during a counter-terror raid by US and Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday. (Reuters Photo)
Kabul, Afghanistan:
The freed son of a former Pakistani premier said today he was "looking forward to being reunited with my family" as he was handed over to Pakistani officials in Kabul after a three-year hostage ordeal.
Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf Raza Gilani, was freed during a counter-terror raid by US and Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan Tuesday.
"I really appreciate Afghan forces who fought for my recovery," Gilani, who was bearded, clad in a white T-shirt and sporting a camouflage baseball cap, told officials at the ceremony in Kabul.
After the ceremony he is expected to return to Pakistan on a special flight sent by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
Gilani was rescued in the Giyan district of Paktika province Tuesday by US Special Operations Forces and Afghan commandos in a partnered raid, NATO has said.
The Afghan presidency said the raid targeted an Al-Qaeda cell.
Gilani was kidnapped by militants in the outskirts of Multan in the central Pakistani province of Punjab on May 9, 2013, just two days before a bitterly contested national election in which he was campaigning. He was 27 at the time.
In May last year, he was able to phone his father to tell him he was well.
On Tuesday his father broke the news of his release to a cheering crowd at a political rally in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, as hundreds of people gathered at the family's home in Multan in central Punjab province to celebrate the news.
NATO said the raid was carried out under Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the US mission focusing on counter-terrorism as well as training, advising and assisting Afghan troops.
Four "enemy combatants" were killed during the raid, it said.
The Pentagon was tight-lipped about events leading up to the raid, but said it occurred after US and Afghan forces had "identified terrorist activity".
"There were terrorists where they struck and conducted this raid, and during that activity they were able to rescue Mr Gilani," US Central Command spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter heralded the raid as evidence of progress by Afghanistan's struggling security services.
Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf Raza Gilani, was freed during a counter-terror raid by US and Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan Tuesday.
"I really appreciate Afghan forces who fought for my recovery," Gilani, who was bearded, clad in a white T-shirt and sporting a camouflage baseball cap, told officials at the ceremony in Kabul.
After the ceremony he is expected to return to Pakistan on a special flight sent by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
Gilani was rescued in the Giyan district of Paktika province Tuesday by US Special Operations Forces and Afghan commandos in a partnered raid, NATO has said.
The Afghan presidency said the raid targeted an Al-Qaeda cell.
Gilani was kidnapped by militants in the outskirts of Multan in the central Pakistani province of Punjab on May 9, 2013, just two days before a bitterly contested national election in which he was campaigning. He was 27 at the time.
In May last year, he was able to phone his father to tell him he was well.
On Tuesday his father broke the news of his release to a cheering crowd at a political rally in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, as hundreds of people gathered at the family's home in Multan in central Punjab province to celebrate the news.
NATO said the raid was carried out under Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the US mission focusing on counter-terrorism as well as training, advising and assisting Afghan troops.
Four "enemy combatants" were killed during the raid, it said.
The Pentagon was tight-lipped about events leading up to the raid, but said it occurred after US and Afghan forces had "identified terrorist activity".
"There were terrorists where they struck and conducted this raid, and during that activity they were able to rescue Mr Gilani," US Central Command spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter heralded the raid as evidence of progress by Afghanistan's struggling security services.
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