Police to release sketch in US citizen kidnap hunt

Warren Weinstein, 70, country director for US-based consultancy JE Austin Associates and who had been in Pakistan for seven years, was snatched from his home in Lahore before dawn on Saturday.He had been due to return to the United States on Monday after concluding his contract on private-sector development and economic growth in the frontline state in the war on Al-Qaeda, rife with anti-Americanism.We have prepared a sketch of one of the kidnappers, senior police official Atif Hayat said.We are trying to prepare sketches of the other culprits based on descriptions given by the (Americans) security guards and driver, he said.Police have drawn a blank over the kidnapping that saw Weinstein struck on the head with a pistol and driven off by gunmen.There has been no claim of responsibility and the most officers have been able to establish is that he was targeted because of his nationality.In the United States, JE Austin released a statement saying that Weinstein was committed to Pakistans economic development and poverty reduction.His efforts to help make Pakistani industries more competitive have resulted in many hundreds of well-paying jobs for Pakistani citizens and contributed to raising the standard of living, it said in a statement.