NOWSHERA, May 17: The Nowshera police on Friday continued its search operation across the district and its adjoining areas to trace Ali Haider Gilani, the kidnapped son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, amid conflicting reports concerning his whereabouts.

“The search operation has been expanded to the neighbouring Mardan, Swabi and Charsadda districts to track down the kidnappers of Ali Haider,” a police officer told Dawn while requesting anonymity.

Sources in the police continued to insist that Ali Haider was kept at the residence along with Abdul Wahab, a man recovered in a raid.

However, district police officer Waqar Ahmad said that the story narrated by Mr Wahab was creation of his imagination.

He said that following investigation the police concluded that Mr Wahab’s claims were not based on solid evidence.

He did not explain why Mr Wahab narrated a concocted story to the police. Mr Wahab had told the police on Thursday after seeing a picture of Ali Haider that he was kept with him by the kidnappers.

Contrary to the claim of the DPO, a source privy to the investigation believed that Ali Haider, who was kidnapped from Multan on May 9, was kept at the said residence in Misri Banda area of Nowshera.

He stated that an alleged ringleader of the kidnappers, Wazir Gul and his son, 8, were in custody of the police.

The official said that according to initial investigation the kidnappers did not visited the room where the kidnapped persons were kept, but the minor boy was used for taking meals for them.

“When we showed a photograph of Ali Haider Gilani to the boy he confirmed that he was also locked in that room,” the official said.