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| Police and security officials gather outside the residence of an American citizen, whom the U.S. embassy declined to identify, after he was kidnapped in Lahore August 13, 2011 |
An American aid expert has been kidnapped at gunpoint in the Pakistani city of Lahore after gunmen stormed his residence and overpowered security guards.The US Embassy on Saturday identified the victim as Warren Weinstein. News agencies reported Weinstein to be Pakistan country director for a development contractor that works with the American government.According to Pakistani police, between eight and 10 assailants broke into Weinstein's house in an upscale neighborhood after persuading the guards to open the gate by saying they wanted to give them food - an act of sharing common during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.The American, believed to be in his 60s, had returned to Lahore the previous night from Islamabad, the Associated Press reported.The website of the company, where Weinstein worked, described him as an "expert in international development with 25 years of experience", who holds a PhD in international law and economics from Columbia University, and has worked in fields including governance and microfinance."The American citizen had been living in Lahore for the last four to five years and was associated with consultancy business," Shahzada Saleem, senior local police official, told the AFP news agency.
Saleem said police sealed all entry and exit points to ensure that he was not smuggled out of Lahore, considered one of Pakistan's safest cities.No one has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction. US Embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez confirmed the kidnap and told AFP: "We are working with Pakistani authorities on this issue."Police declined to speculate on the motive behind the abduction.Kidnappers have frequently target foreigners in Pakistan, although it is rare for assailants to stage such a raid on a victim's home.The abduction comes with Pakistani-US relations in dire straits over US drone strikes against fighters in tribal areas, which Pakistan officially complains violate its sovereignty.Diplomatic ties were also set back by Pakistan's detention of a CIA contractor in March who killed two Pakistanis in Lahore and the covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2.The Pakistani Taliban claim to be holding a Swiss man and woman kidnapped earlier this summer as they were traveling through a remote southwestern region.
Saleem said police sealed all entry and exit points to ensure that he was not smuggled out of Lahore, considered one of Pakistan's safest cities.No one has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction. US Embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez confirmed the kidnap and told AFP: "We are working with Pakistani authorities on this issue."Police declined to speculate on the motive behind the abduction.Kidnappers have frequently target foreigners in Pakistan, although it is rare for assailants to stage such a raid on a victim's home.The abduction comes with Pakistani-US relations in dire straits over US drone strikes against fighters in tribal areas, which Pakistan officially complains violate its sovereignty.Diplomatic ties were also set back by Pakistan's detention of a CIA contractor in March who killed two Pakistanis in Lahore and the covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2.The Pakistani Taliban claim to be holding a Swiss man and woman kidnapped earlier this summer as they were traveling through a remote southwestern region.
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