LIFE has been put on hold for the parents of hostage Paul Wells since his capture two years ago today.

Bob and Dianne Wells have battled to discover what became of their 26-year-old student son after his capture by Kashmiri militants.

"We made plans a couple of years ago," said Bob, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, Blackburn, "but those plans have been put on hold until this has been resolved."

Mr Wells claims the capture of Paul and three other Westerners by separatist gunmen has highlighted problems affecting thousands in the troubled Indian state of Jammu Kashmir.

Indian and Pakistan are now discussing their long-standing differences and Mr Wells believes their plight could act as a catalyst for change in the region, where hundreds have died and tourism has been ruined due to militant activity.

He added: "There must be some way that people with influence and political awareness can fight to encourage negotiations rather than fighting. I have a vested interest, but if the governments can get together with the Kashmiri people it would help thousands."

Mr Wells will return to Kashmir in November and has vowed not to rest until the situation ends. But previous trips have resulted in little but rumour and speculation. He added: "What we need is positive information. If people know they were killed in a specific area, they should tell us, even anonymously.

"It makes you wonder how there can be no information in a high profile case like this.

"I am confident the Western authorities are doing all they can. If they had a definite lead then they could take it forward."

Bob, Dianne and their two other children Stewart and Sarah have stopped counting milestones in the events since Paul vanished.

But after two years, Bob says: "I feel sad that we've not been able to resolve the situation. There are fewer and fewer people left who may have direct information because of the killings and militant activity in Kashmir."

Unknown fate of the four

THERE has been little news of the four Westerners kidnapped by a previously unknown militant group called Al-Faran since November 1995.

The men who remain missing along with Paul Wells are Middlesbrough man Keith Mangan, German Dirk Hasert and American Donald Hutchings.

The German and American people seem to have largely forgotten their countrymen but work continues in Britain with the Hostages In Kashmir Campaign. Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe was beheaded shortly after his capture by the militants, who had demanded the release of rebels being held in Indian jails in return for the Westerners.

Rumours have repeatedly suggested that the hostages were killed in December or January 1996, but no bodies have ever been found.

Terry Waite backs family in plight

FORMER Beirut hostage Terry Waite today urged the Wells family to be strong in the absence of positive information.

Mr Waite, patron of the Hostages In Kashmir Campaign, said that conflicting stories about the fate of the four captive Westerners were still coming out of Kashmir.

He added: "Only yesterday I was faxed some information which said they were still alive and had been moved from one country to another.

"Nobody knows where they are or whether they are alive or not. This is placing a great strain on their families."

Mr Waite, who was taken hostage while acting as an envoy for the Archbishop of Canterbury, said he had repeated his advice that the families "should believe nothing until they have proof one way or another".

Mr Waite, who has visited Blackburn to support the campaign, added: "My own family had to wait for four years. My concern is with the families who all have to continue to wait.

See Opinion

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.