'Kidnaped' girl says she went of her own free will

London, Sep 1 (UNI) A 12-year-old girl taken to Pakistan from Scotland by her father without her mother's knowledge said that she went of her own free will.

Molly Campbell disappeared from her home in the Western Isles last Friday amid fears that she had been abducted.

But she told a British MP, Mohammed Sarwar that she had gone voluntarily and planned to stay in Pakistan. She also spoke on the phone to her mother in Stornoway for ten minutes, according to Mr Sarwar.

The girl later spoke at a press conference in Lahore and dismissed fears that she was being forced into a marriage in Pakistan.

A police hunt was launched after Molly flew to Lahore with her older sister and father without the knowledge of her mother, Louise Campbell, 38, who made an emotional appeal for her return earlier this week.

Glasgow Central Labour MP Mr Sarwar, a family friend, arrived in Pakistan this morning and spoke to the schoolgirl and her father.

''Molly has confirmed to me that she left the country of her own will, of her own accord, and she has spoken to her mother for 10 minutes this morning. There is no question of forced marriage and Molly has told her mother that. Molly and her mother have exchanged numbers and her father has made it clear that if Molly wants to go back to the UK she can come home with me,'' he said.

''But she does not want to go home. She and the family would love her mother to come here to Pakistan and stay with them,'' he added.

Molly, also known as Misbah Iram Ahmed Rana, spoke to reporters in Lahore this morning.

''It was my own choice. I asked my sister if I could go with her. I went with my sister. I would like to stay in Pakistan with my father and my name isn't Molly, it is Misbah,'' Molly said.

''I knew that my mum would miss me, but I miss my family. It was hard not to see my family and I had to live with my mum while I wanted to live with my family. I thought I could live with my dad and I could still see my mum,'' she added.

Mr Sarwar has known Molly's father, Sajad Ahmed Rana, who lived in his Glasgow constituency, for around 20 years. The MP met Mrs Campbell yesterday before leaving for Lahore and told her he was happy to mediate in the dispute. He added, ''Molly will be in Lahore for the time-being. Obviously there are issues that I need to mediate in. I am satisfied, but the happy ending would be if the mother is happy as well.'' ''One thing was very clear when I spoke to the children - they love their mother. I spoke to the mother and she loves her children.

We now need to find a mechanism whereby they can go and meet each other freely and remove the suspicion against each other.'' Molly's disappearance last Friday from her home in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, sparked a major police investigation which also involved Interpol. Molly was picked up by her 18-year-old sister last Friday morning before the pair flew to Glasgow from Stornoway.

They then flew to Lahore with their father, who divorced Molly's mother in 2001.

UNI XC SHB KN1708