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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson being returned from Pakistan | Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson being returned from Pakistan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A six-year-old girl who was abducted by her father and taken to Pakistan three years ago is on her way back to the UK. | A six-year-old girl who was abducted by her father and taken to Pakistan three years ago is on her way back to the UK. |
| Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson was last seen when she was taken from her home in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, on her third birthday in 2009. | Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson was last seen when she was taken from her home in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, on her third birthday in 2009. |
| Her father Razwan Ali Anjum is serving a prison sentence for refusing to reveal his daughter's whereabouts despite a court order. | Her father Razwan Ali Anjum is serving a prison sentence for refusing to reveal his daughter's whereabouts despite a court order. |
| Police said Atiya would return to the UK from Pakistan this afternoon. | Police said Atiya would return to the UK from Pakistan this afternoon. |
| North West MEP Sajjad Karim said he had received confirmation just before noon that her flight had taken off. | |
| He told the BBC the authorities in Pakistan had been "absolutely crucial" in finding Atiya and making sure she was returned home. | |
| Four jail terms | Four jail terms |
| "They only had the matter raised with them a few weeks ago, when I raised it with the foreign minister of Pakistan in the European Parliament," he said. | |
| "The authorities located Atiya, they monitored the address where she was and eventually moved in and informed the people she was living with - who are the extended family of the father - that she would have to return to the UK. | |
| "There wasn't any resistance by them. Atiya was found to be in a fit and healthy state and was well at the time. She was certainly being kept well." | |
| It is understood she was found in Lahore. | |
| Mr Karim said the authorities provided photographs of Atiya which were sent to her mother, Gemma Wilkinson, on Christmas Day. | |
| Ms Wilkinson, 32, of Ashton-under-Lyne, whose relationship with Anjum ended in 2008, has made several appeals for information to find her daughter. | |
| The latest was last month, when she said not knowing Atiya was even alive was an "absolute nightmare". | The latest was last month, when she said not knowing Atiya was even alive was an "absolute nightmare". |
| 'Trauma and nightmares' | |
| Ms Wilkinson took legal action against her former partner in an attempt to force him to reveal her whereabouts. | Ms Wilkinson took legal action against her former partner in an attempt to force him to reveal her whereabouts. |
| Courts have been told Anjum said he was taking Atiya to Southport, but instead took her to Lahore, Pakistan, and told Ms Wilkinson that she would never see her again. | Courts have been told Anjum said he was taking Atiya to Southport, but instead took her to Lahore, Pakistan, and told Ms Wilkinson that she would never see her again. |
| The former insurance salesman was handed a fourth consecutive jail term by a High Court judge in April after he refused to reveal where his daughter was. | The former insurance salesman was handed a fourth consecutive jail term by a High Court judge in April after he refused to reveal where his daughter was. |
| Mr Justice Moor imposed a 12-month prison sentence after he found him in contempt of a High Court order instructing him to disclose Atiya's whereabouts. | Mr Justice Moor imposed a 12-month prison sentence after he found him in contempt of a High Court order instructing him to disclose Atiya's whereabouts. |
| Anjum indicated that Atiya was in Pakistan or Iran but said he did not know her exact whereabouts. | Anjum indicated that Atiya was in Pakistan or Iran but said he did not know her exact whereabouts. |
| The judge said: "I am certain that he is in contempt. It is absolutely absurd for him to suggest that he does not know the whereabouts of his daughter and he cannot contact her. | The judge said: "I am certain that he is in contempt. It is absolutely absurd for him to suggest that he does not know the whereabouts of his daughter and he cannot contact her. |
| "I am certain he is lying." | "I am certain he is lying." |
| Another judge has previously said the case was "as bad a case of child abduction as I have encountered". | Another judge has previously said the case was "as bad a case of child abduction as I have encountered". |
| Speaking ahead of Atiya's sixth birthday, Ms Wilkinson said: "It's been an absolute nightmare. | Speaking ahead of Atiya's sixth birthday, Ms Wilkinson said: "It's been an absolute nightmare. |
| "As to her whereabouts we know nothing. We've had no contact. I'm worrying every day, every single day. Everything is affected by it." | "As to her whereabouts we know nothing. We've had no contact. I'm worrying every day, every single day. Everything is affected by it." |
| She added: "It's ongoing, it's been three years of trauma and nightmares. I can't sleep at night. I just want to know she's OK, she's being looked after. | She added: "It's ongoing, it's been three years of trauma and nightmares. I can't sleep at night. I just want to know she's OK, she's being looked after. |
| "We haven't celebrated her birthday since she went missing but I've bought her presents each year - they are waiting for her to open when she comes home. | "We haven't celebrated her birthday since she went missing but I've bought her presents each year - they are waiting for her to open when she comes home. |
| "I had no reason to believe that she was at any risk. There had been a standard routine, there hadn't been any problems with the arrangements." | "I had no reason to believe that she was at any risk. There had been a standard routine, there hadn't been any problems with the arrangements." |
| Police published a computer-generated image of what Atiya might look like now a day before her sixth birthday in November. |