Lahore, Aug 16: Pakistani police today said they would issue sketches of suspects involved in the kidnapping of a US aid expert here even as officials considered the possibility of conducting a joint probe with the FBI.
 "We are going to issue sketches of one or two of the kidnappers that may help us get a clue about them," Deputy Inspector General (Investigation) Ali Amir Malik told a news conference.
 American aid expert Warren Weinstein was kidnapped at gunpoint from his residence here on August 13.
 Malik acknowledged that there had been no breakthrough so far in the case.
 He said it would be premature to say that Weinstein was kidnapped by a militant group.
 Three security guards and the driver of the kidnapped man would remain in police custody for investigation, Malik said.
 "Since Weinstein was not a high-profile person we are looking at other aspects of the case as well," he said without giving details.
 Sketches were being prepared of one or two of the kidnappers as most of the suspects involved in the incident were reportedly wearing masks.
 The driver, Muhammad Israr, reportedly knew the code of the special lock on the door of Weinstein's bedroom, police officials said.
 A source told PTI that the guards and the driver could have been directly or indirectly involved in the abduction.
 The source further said authorities were exploring the possibility of conducting a joint probe with their American counterparts and an FBI team was likely to join the investigation in the next few days.
 Government officials met diplomats from the US Consulate in Lahore yesterday to discuss the possibility of a joint probe with the FBI.
 Weinstein was the country head for US-based consulting firm J E Austin Associates, which works for economic growth and private sector development and was associated with USAID projects in Pakistan.
 He was kidnapped from his residence in the posh Model Town area of Lahore by eight to 10 masked armed men in the early hours of Saturday.
 They took him away after overpowering his guards, who were all retired members of the Special Services Group, an elite commando unit of the Pakistan Army.
 One of the guards had deserted from the army some time ago and belonged to the restive tribal areas.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST