An American national was kidnapped at gunpoint from his house in Lahore on Saturday after gunmen stormed through the back door and overpowered his guards.
The American, identified as Warren Weinstein, was running a private company, JE Austin Associates for economic development in FATA in collaboration with USAID and SMEDA in J-Block Model Town. Weinstein’s company’s website says he was in charge of a programme that had been trying to help strengthen the competitiveness of various Pakistani industries. Weinstein was snatched at dawn, just two days before he was due to return to the US after more than four years in Pakistan.
Police said the American was believed to be in his 60s, and had returned to Lahore the previous night from Islamabad. He had told his staff that he would be wrapping up his latest project and moving out of Pakistan by Monday, police official Tajammal Hussain said.A security guard, Aurangzeb said he along with other guards, Muhammad Abbas, Fazal Elahi and driver Muhammad Israr, was eating his Sehri meal when eight kidnappers forced their way into the house. Model Town SP Investigation Khurram Jahanzaib told Pakistan Today that three men knocked at the front door of the house and offered the guards food for Sehri, which they politely refused. He said another five men climbed into the house using the back door, overpowered the guards and tied their hands behind their back. They asked Weinstein’s driver to knock on his bedroom door. When the US citizen opened the door, they snatched him. Jahanzaib said police had taken the security guards and the driver into custody and were interviewing them for details. The Model Town SHO said three of the abductors could converse in English. Four investigation teams, including the CIA and the Special Branch officials have been formed for the US citizen’s safe recovery.
A well placed police source said that at about 3:40am, the SP investigation radioed at the police emergency number 15 and directed the Lahore Police to remain vigilant for a vehicle carrying an American national. Sources said the SP clearly said that the American was alone in the vehicle. Lesli Goodman, a spokesperson from US Consulate, said they were in contact with Weinstein’s heirs. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction. A local resident told Pakistan Today he had seen Islamabad-registered vehicles frequently visiting Weinstein’s place. Another source said that Weinstein used to spend 15 days in Pakistan and the other 15 in US and his place looked like an office of a sensitive agency. Meanwhile, the State Department is coordinating with Pakistani officials on the investigation, saying it was providing consular support to Weinstein’s family.
