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Lost to the World: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Five Years in Terrorist Captivity
Shahbaz Taseer’s memoir of his five-year-long captivity at the hands of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
In late August 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a Taliban-affiliated Uzbek terrorist group. Taseer’s father, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan, had recently been assassinated for speaking in support of a Christian woman who had been accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Though Taseer himself wasn’t involved in politics, he was still a public figure who represented a more tolerant, internationally connected Pakistan that the IMU condemned. What followed his kidnapping was nearly five years of torture and constant peril as Taseer was held captive by the IMU in the ungoverned reaches of Pakistan and Afghanistan, his fate subject to the unpredictable whims and machinations of terrorists. Lost to the World is his memoir of that time―a story of extraordinary sorrow but also of empathy and faith.
While deeply harrowing, this tale is also about resilience. Taseer countered his captors’ narrative of a holy war by immersing himself in the Quran in search of hope and a means to see his own humanity under even the most inhumane conditions, and ultimately to find a way back to his family.
In late August 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a Taliban-affiliated Uzbek terrorist group. Taseer’s father, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan, had recently been assassinated for speaking in support of a Christian woman who had been accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Though Taseer himself wasn’t involved in politics, he was still a public figure who represented a more tolerant, internationally connected Pakistan that the IMU condemned. What followed his kidnapping was nearly five years of torture and constant peril as Taseer was held captive by the IMU in the ungoverned reaches of Pakistan and Afghanistan, his fate subject to the unpredictable whims and machinations of terrorists. Lost to the World is his memoir of that time―a story of extraordinary sorrow but also of empathy and faith.
While deeply harrowing, this tale is also about resilience. Taseer countered his captors’ narrative of a holy war by immersing himself in the Quran in search of hope and a means to see his own humanity under even the most inhumane conditions, and ultimately to find a way back to his family.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published November 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
June 9, 2023
I have always loved reading memoirs and Shahbaz Taseer’s Lost to the World is both nightmarish and courageous. After being held captive by a ruthless terrorist group called Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Taseer is finally released in an almost a ‘too true to be good’ manner. Taseer is well known as the son of the assassinated Punjab (Pakistan) governor Salman Taseer. And in this book, Shahbaz talks in detail about his father and his role in helping the common crowd of Pakistan. His father’s honesty and courage eventually led to him being shot brutally. Soon after this horrendous act, Taseer is kidnapped in broad daylight and goes missing for almost five years. This story is not just a valiant attempt at describing his life during captivity but also shows how vulnerable a person can be when everything is snatched away from him.
Shahbaz grew up in a luxurious house which lacked nothing. While growing up he watched his father support the less privileged ones during his political career and also witnessed the repercussions of having done so. Before the family could recover from the death, Taseer is taken captive. A major chunk of the book describes his living condition while being a hostage. The tortures are intense but Taseer’s courage in the face of it all is applaudable. He gives a detailed insight on how terrorist organisations work in layman terms. In the midst of all the brutality, he was often taken aback when some of them showed kindness.
It’s baffling how he survived and then lived to tell the story. The odds were stacked against him and yet fate favoured him. Throughout his captivity, he draws strength from his father who often said ‘I’m not made from a wood that burns easily’. The story of course, has a happy ending but it feels dreamlike to see how it all worked out. Taseer writes crisply and I finished this book in just two sittings. Keeping aside all the trauma, this memoir also shows how willpower plays a significant role in difficult times.
I highly recommend this book and thank @penguinindia for sending it across to me.
Shahbaz grew up in a luxurious house which lacked nothing. While growing up he watched his father support the less privileged ones during his political career and also witnessed the repercussions of having done so. Before the family could recover from the death, Taseer is taken captive. A major chunk of the book describes his living condition while being a hostage. The tortures are intense but Taseer’s courage in the face of it all is applaudable. He gives a detailed insight on how terrorist organisations work in layman terms. In the midst of all the brutality, he was often taken aback when some of them showed kindness.
It’s baffling how he survived and then lived to tell the story. The odds were stacked against him and yet fate favoured him. Throughout his captivity, he draws strength from his father who often said ‘I’m not made from a wood that burns easily’. The story of course, has a happy ending but it feels dreamlike to see how it all worked out. Taseer writes crisply and I finished this book in just two sittings. Keeping aside all the trauma, this memoir also shows how willpower plays a significant role in difficult times.
I highly recommend this book and thank @penguinindia for sending it across to me.
March 6, 2024
An extraordinary account of one man’s captivity at the hands of a terrorist group for more than four and a half long years. And he lived to share this story. Shabhaz Taseer, a businessman in Lahore, Pakistan was abducted by a militant group while on his way to work in August 2011. His family was well known. His father, a highly successful business leader and governor of the Punjab province was assassinated in January 2011 for his criticism of the country’s blasphemy laws. The author’s captors demanded an exorbitant ransom and freeing of a number of prisoners in exchange, including the individual responsible for his father’s assassination. This is a vivid, intense, and tightly written account of what the author went through during these harrowing years - the depths of despair, the psychological batterings,the taunting, and of course, the physical abuse and torture. In all of this, he found ways to hold out hope, find solace in the Quran, and be thankful for the tiny bits of humanity extended to him from unlikely sources. It is astounding that he lived through this horrific ordeal, was able to escape, and live to write this book. I can only attribute this to the fact that, like his father, his belief that “I am not made from a wood that burns easily” is what kept his drive and spirits alive. Besides the riveting account, I was pleasantly surprised at the writing - well crafted, tightly written, superbly expressed, and well paced. At the end of the book I wondered how can someone move forward in life with such a traumatic past. God willing, he and his family are able to as much as possible with the same resilience, fortitude, and grit the author demonstrated in his years in captivity. This is an unforgettable read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 7, 2024
Writing a review for this book would be an injustice and I won't have it. This book is by far the best book I've ever read and I've read hundreds of them. Indescribable just- and to think that it is a non-fiction, a memoir!!! At times I couldn't believe the situations to be real that he was in. So much pain and agony- I hope he is in a better place now and that he always stays connected to his Creator and people 😭💕
August 7, 2023
Not the best written book but wow, what a story! It's hard to imagine that this is a real person who has shared his experiences. I was in tears by the end.
April 25, 2023
Even though Taseer (or his ghost writer) tells the story of those harrowing 5 years (starting from his father's shocking murder to his miracle release from captivity) in sparse, tightly controlled sentences, no one can quite understand the depth of fear, confusion and loss that this family and this man has faced. I wish he'd been more verbose, more emotive and more opinionated in this book. He and his family represent the 1% elite of the country with a life trajectory, options and lifestyle entirely separate from the ordinary citizens. You will not get a sense or taste of his privileged life before or since those 5 years. For his father to be confronted and taken out by a guard (essentially a servant from one of the lowest financial and class brackets) and for Taseer to be kidnapped by faceless, nameless nobodies, has got to be a cruel irony. Anyone looking to warp their mind around this clash of haves and havenots will have to look elsewhere. These are perhaps Taseer's own bare words, barely there, sanitized for mass consumption.
He is not looking for answers on what or why it happened to him or his father. He's not looking to be an activist or a leader. He has no take on frequent killings of citizens and foreigners over blasphemy allegations since 2018, the lack of accountability of 'establishment' and political class in playing the religious and national security cards, and the monopoly of resources and budgets (with benefits, subsidies and tax breaks) for vested interest groups instead of citizen development, the increase in divide between haves and havenots and the hate and polarization seeping into Pakistani DNA, especially the young people. As a young man and survivor of traumatic terrorist events, he has no advice for PTSD sufferers and disempowered angry young men. His post-kidnap adjustment to relationships (whether with his first wife or second one, children, or his siblings) and in business, remains unknown (you'll have to watch interviews posted on youtube for that). Basically, all the things (and introspection) expected in the Western World from survivors of violence are non-existent in Taseer's autobiography. You'll have to check out his twitter feed to realize his bravery and potential for social change, and psychoanalyze his RTs for subliminal messages on what ails Pakistan. However, in this book, he comes across as someone who wants to disappear into the crowd without another thought, to live a quiet, peaceful life, and this book is his parting shot.
There are plenty of hair-raising, frightful scenes in the book. The chapter on how Salman Taseer's last day unfolded for his family is engrossing.
Essential reading even if the book is a bit mentally and emotionally barren.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC and all the best to the author and his family.
He is not looking for answers on what or why it happened to him or his father. He's not looking to be an activist or a leader. He has no take on frequent killings of citizens and foreigners over blasphemy allegations since 2018, the lack of accountability of 'establishment' and political class in playing the religious and national security cards, and the monopoly of resources and budgets (with benefits, subsidies and tax breaks) for vested interest groups instead of citizen development, the increase in divide between haves and havenots and the hate and polarization seeping into Pakistani DNA, especially the young people. As a young man and survivor of traumatic terrorist events, he has no advice for PTSD sufferers and disempowered angry young men. His post-kidnap adjustment to relationships (whether with his first wife or second one, children, or his siblings) and in business, remains unknown (you'll have to watch interviews posted on youtube for that). Basically, all the things (and introspection) expected in the Western World from survivors of violence are non-existent in Taseer's autobiography. You'll have to check out his twitter feed to realize his bravery and potential for social change, and psychoanalyze his RTs for subliminal messages on what ails Pakistan. However, in this book, he comes across as someone who wants to disappear into the crowd without another thought, to live a quiet, peaceful life, and this book is his parting shot.
There are plenty of hair-raising, frightful scenes in the book. The chapter on how Salman Taseer's last day unfolded for his family is engrossing.
Essential reading even if the book is a bit mentally and emotionally barren.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC and all the best to the author and his family.
August 16, 2023
I might have several reservations with the narrative but I found Shahbaz to be a better storyteller than most South Asian writers. It was captivating, sad and a story of resilience through and through!
October 31, 2025
Really enjoyed reading this book!! It was a bit slow at first- Partially because he was held captive for five years but it got better towards the second half.
August 3, 2025
Unlike many captivity memoirs, Taseer’s story is anchored in Pakistan’s complex political-religious landscape. It’s a firsthand reckoning with the consequences of radicalization.Despite the trauma, it is a book about hope, not hate — focusing on resilience, love for family, and the quiet power of spiritual clarity.
Taseer describes being whipped, shot, chained, and moved across terrorist networks — with unfiltered clarity but without sensationalism. It’s as much about mental survival as it is physical. Taseer forms strange connections with his captors and survives through intellect, wit, and an internal moral compass. The book captures how he reclaimed religion from the extremists — using the Quran and inner reflection to challenge their distorted ideology.
Shahbaz writes, “My story is not of what I set out to do; it’s simply one of survival and hope, in harsh, hostile, and unfamiliar surroundings.” He reflects on resilience, lessons learned, and the power of enduring faith and love.
Lost to the World is a stark, moving memoir that blends horror and hope with emotional honesty. It’s ideal for readers who appreciate powerful survival narratives backed by resilience, spiritual introspection, and an unflinching portrayal of extremist captivity. While it doesn’t delve into broader politics or theological scholarship, it excels as a deeply personal journey — a testament to one man’s courage, empathy, and survival.
Taseer describes being whipped, shot, chained, and moved across terrorist networks — with unfiltered clarity but without sensationalism. It’s as much about mental survival as it is physical. Taseer forms strange connections with his captors and survives through intellect, wit, and an internal moral compass. The book captures how he reclaimed religion from the extremists — using the Quran and inner reflection to challenge their distorted ideology.
Shahbaz writes, “My story is not of what I set out to do; it’s simply one of survival and hope, in harsh, hostile, and unfamiliar surroundings.” He reflects on resilience, lessons learned, and the power of enduring faith and love.
Lost to the World is a stark, moving memoir that blends horror and hope with emotional honesty. It’s ideal for readers who appreciate powerful survival narratives backed by resilience, spiritual introspection, and an unflinching portrayal of extremist captivity. While it doesn’t delve into broader politics or theological scholarship, it excels as a deeply personal journey — a testament to one man’s courage, empathy, and survival.
May 8, 2024
— I've never turned pages so quickly, it was incredible.
January 27, 2023
When a reader shared a small post about this book, I knew I had to get it. With the TBR awfully long what would another new book matter? Having heard and read about the Mr. Salman Taseer’s assassination and his son Shahbaz Taseer’s kidnapping, I was intrigued. The book kept sitting on my bed side table for a good two weeks as I can only read one book at a time. And then one night it caught my attention just as I had finished reading the previous one. Little did I know, I would finish this in three days and hence this review.
From the start let me please say what a treatise it is! The story starts with Shahbaz Taseer telling us about his father’s assassination by his own bodyguard, one who had sworn to protect him, and one who reneged on his oath, and fired not one or two but twenty seven bullets thus killing the man. And then, the family was left battered and grieving. As they struggled to control their dwindling business, and were able to bring things to normal, their world was shaken once again only seven months later when Shahbaz got kidnapped for ransom. He talks about his life in captivity in detail, about the physical and mental torture he went through and the kind of life he had to live in (Pakistan) FATA, Afghanistan and again in (Pakistan) Balochistan.
The book gives a first-hand account of all the happenings from the day he was kidnapped to the day he walked free and reached his home in Lahore. There are high and low moments and Shahbaz makes no effort to hide his feelings as he writes about his experiences, the near death experiences that he went through, the drone strike that almost killed him, the ransom call he was forced to make to his mother, of being videotaped while going through physical torture, of being humiliated, of his captors demeaning behavior, of eating goat fat and bread daily for a year, of trying to negotiate his release, of making friends with his captors, listening to Manchester United matches on a smuggled radio with his captors, of teaching Urdu to his captors children, of getting pitied on by his captor’s mother in law, of befriending his guard. Boy what a great read it is. It was like watching an action movie, only that my imagination let me play the scenes in my mind. The language is powerful and reaches out to the reader, the lines meaningful. His ordeal is almost unbelievable. It gets a five stars rating from me. If one day they decide to make a movie out of it, it will be a super hit.
My favorite line: “I am not made of a wood that burns easily!”
Nauman Afzal
From the start let me please say what a treatise it is! The story starts with Shahbaz Taseer telling us about his father’s assassination by his own bodyguard, one who had sworn to protect him, and one who reneged on his oath, and fired not one or two but twenty seven bullets thus killing the man. And then, the family was left battered and grieving. As they struggled to control their dwindling business, and were able to bring things to normal, their world was shaken once again only seven months later when Shahbaz got kidnapped for ransom. He talks about his life in captivity in detail, about the physical and mental torture he went through and the kind of life he had to live in (Pakistan) FATA, Afghanistan and again in (Pakistan) Balochistan.
The book gives a first-hand account of all the happenings from the day he was kidnapped to the day he walked free and reached his home in Lahore. There are high and low moments and Shahbaz makes no effort to hide his feelings as he writes about his experiences, the near death experiences that he went through, the drone strike that almost killed him, the ransom call he was forced to make to his mother, of being videotaped while going through physical torture, of being humiliated, of his captors demeaning behavior, of eating goat fat and bread daily for a year, of trying to negotiate his release, of making friends with his captors, listening to Manchester United matches on a smuggled radio with his captors, of teaching Urdu to his captors children, of getting pitied on by his captor’s mother in law, of befriending his guard. Boy what a great read it is. It was like watching an action movie, only that my imagination let me play the scenes in my mind. The language is powerful and reaches out to the reader, the lines meaningful. His ordeal is almost unbelievable. It gets a five stars rating from me. If one day they decide to make a movie out of it, it will be a super hit.
My favorite line: “I am not made of a wood that burns easily!”
Nauman Afzal
April 11, 2024
The best thing about non fiction reads is how they make you more curious about a specific topic. Enough to make you feel like racing towards the nearest bookstore and grab another book. In this case, it was about the author's captors and other militant parties. All the intra-politics in terrorism.
Anyway, this was quite the tale. Taseer tells you his story very vividly, through his emotions too so that it creats a visceral transportation to what his reality used to be. Thankfully, since the writing tells his emotional state and thoughts so articulately, he doesn't delve too deep into the gore. In my opinion, at least. (Everyone's tolerance level is different). In any case, this should come with a bodily torture trigger warning.
He starts with a little bit of a background on his family and brief intro of his roots. Still, a lot of his life was lived in a bubble of priviledge. He does touch upon it, but only on the surface.
I'm saying this because it plays a role towards the later part of the story.
Might be because I'm new to memoirs - infact, this is my first finished one - but authors seem to sugar coat a lot about their family or hide the nuanced, and/or uncomfortable parts completely (I'm reading another biography right now, too).
The writing is powerful - and rightfully so, because the harrowing situations ask for it. However, it keeps the same tone throughout- regardless of the nature of the scene. It becomes kind of annoying at some point.
I appreciate the occasional rays of sunshine a lot - specially considering the hopeless predicament Taseer was in. It makes the soft moments all the more impactful.
A genius thing about the strcuture of the story is parallels between his situation and the outside world: investigations and efforts for his rescue. Makes for a great thriller vibe. Which might be another factor of why the slower parts on his side felt . . . Boring. And factored into me putting the book down so many times. It's sadder because I did realise that might represent how he felt - so much time ticking by, hollow and uneventful.
However, the last 33% was a thrilling race. Weird to comment on someone's life like that but mostly I feel I'm just commenting on the style of writing.
Overall, incredible story, insightful, emotional, and . . with gaudy writing at some point. I wish Taseer had admitted to his priviledge more. Cool miraculous rescue though. I recommend (do note the trigger warning for bodily torture, and maybe mental as well).
Anyway, this was quite the tale. Taseer tells you his story very vividly, through his emotions too so that it creats a visceral transportation to what his reality used to be. Thankfully, since the writing tells his emotional state and thoughts so articulately, he doesn't delve too deep into the gore. In my opinion, at least. (Everyone's tolerance level is different). In any case, this should come with a bodily torture trigger warning.
He starts with a little bit of a background on his family and brief intro of his roots. Still, a lot of his life was lived in a bubble of priviledge. He does touch upon it, but only on the surface.
I'm saying this because it plays a role towards the later part of the story.
Might be because I'm new to memoirs - infact, this is my first finished one - but authors seem to sugar coat a lot about their family or hide the nuanced, and/or uncomfortable parts completely (I'm reading another biography right now, too).
The writing is powerful - and rightfully so, because the harrowing situations ask for it. However, it keeps the same tone throughout- regardless of the nature of the scene. It becomes kind of annoying at some point.
I appreciate the occasional rays of sunshine a lot - specially considering the hopeless predicament Taseer was in. It makes the soft moments all the more impactful.
A genius thing about the strcuture of the story is parallels between his situation and the outside world: investigations and efforts for his rescue. Makes for a great thriller vibe. Which might be another factor of why the slower parts on his side felt . . . Boring. And factored into me putting the book down so many times. It's sadder because I did realise that might represent how he felt - so much time ticking by, hollow and uneventful.
However, the last 33% was a thrilling race. Weird to comment on someone's life like that but mostly I feel I'm just commenting on the style of writing.
Overall, incredible story, insightful, emotional, and . . with gaudy writing at some point. I wish Taseer had admitted to his priviledge more. Cool miraculous rescue though. I recommend (do note the trigger warning for bodily torture, and maybe mental as well).
June 17, 2023
Lost to the World by Shahbaz Taseer
In life, we come across such stories that are no less than miraculous things. It's the epitome of faith and perseverance. I read the whole book almost holding my breath and exhaling only after I reach the chapter of his freedom.
I love reading extraordinary biographies and memoirs and this one becomes a very different and extraordinary life. This story is unique, gruesome, and a perfect example of courage, resilience, and miracle.
Miracles happen, all we need to do is hold our belief and yes, we don't know who is the chosen one for granting miracles.
Shahbaz Taseer tells here about his bewildering escape and breathtaking captivity, his days in darkness, keeping his sanity in an insanely torturous atmosphere. He started his story as a man who lived a luxurious life, far away from the macabre of what happened in ordinary people's lives. He tells us about his open-minded family, his upbringing, his father, and how his father was shot dead just seven months before his kidnapping. He tells about how his father constantly supports democracy and less privileged people, his father Salman Taseer is well-known as the governor of Punjab Province, how was his life, how was the day when he was shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
The vital part of this book is laid when Shahbaz tells us about his gruesome experience of captivating days. The intense torturing days, weren't different from what we read on the news, but reading these as the day-to-day account was not easy.
He also tells details about the terrorist organization, their working style, and the insights of their minds, and amidst cruelty, some little empathy came to him to make him realize that he is alive and kicking his hope a little high.
Shahbaz was kidnapped at gunpoint, and from the beginning of the hostage life to the day of his freedom was an astonishing journey. He shows his vulnerability and his strength as his father's memory. This is not just about terrorism, and torturing days, but it says how we all are vulnerable, power is delusional, everything can be changed in a blink, everything can be snatched and you would be treated in inhuman conditions. Recommending this to all nonfiction readers.
In life, we come across such stories that are no less than miraculous things. It's the epitome of faith and perseverance. I read the whole book almost holding my breath and exhaling only after I reach the chapter of his freedom.
I love reading extraordinary biographies and memoirs and this one becomes a very different and extraordinary life. This story is unique, gruesome, and a perfect example of courage, resilience, and miracle.
Miracles happen, all we need to do is hold our belief and yes, we don't know who is the chosen one for granting miracles.
Shahbaz Taseer tells here about his bewildering escape and breathtaking captivity, his days in darkness, keeping his sanity in an insanely torturous atmosphere. He started his story as a man who lived a luxurious life, far away from the macabre of what happened in ordinary people's lives. He tells us about his open-minded family, his upbringing, his father, and how his father was shot dead just seven months before his kidnapping. He tells about how his father constantly supports democracy and less privileged people, his father Salman Taseer is well-known as the governor of Punjab Province, how was his life, how was the day when he was shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
The vital part of this book is laid when Shahbaz tells us about his gruesome experience of captivating days. The intense torturing days, weren't different from what we read on the news, but reading these as the day-to-day account was not easy.
He also tells details about the terrorist organization, their working style, and the insights of their minds, and amidst cruelty, some little empathy came to him to make him realize that he is alive and kicking his hope a little high.
Shahbaz was kidnapped at gunpoint, and from the beginning of the hostage life to the day of his freedom was an astonishing journey. He shows his vulnerability and his strength as his father's memory. This is not just about terrorism, and torturing days, but it says how we all are vulnerable, power is delusional, everything can be changed in a blink, everything can be snatched and you would be treated in inhuman conditions. Recommending this to all nonfiction readers.
October 8, 2024
This book is very well written although I didn’t feel connected to Shahbaz despite being a fellow Pakistani. (PS this does not mean I was not empathetic)
Shahbaz’s worldview is extremely eurocentric and his attempts at relativity would fare better with a Western audience than a Pakistani one. His everyday experiences are very removed from that of an average Pakistani which made it difficult to connect with him. While I appreciate his honesty, his frankness about his upper class lifestyle seemed tone-deaf and distasteful at times. But it served well to highlight the stark contrast between his life pre-captivity and during his capture.
His Western-bias also determined his experience in terrorist captivity. For someone who spent five years with terrorists, I find it unusual that his account is almost identical to the propaganda you find on Western news outlets.
Don’t get me wrong; I 100% believe he experienced all the tribulations. I do not want to be dismissive about his trauma or perspective but there was something very rigid about his frame of mind. His interpretive framework seemed decontextualised and two-dimensional.
There were also some things I found confusing: how does he recollect memories in such vivid detail in the face of such horrific trauma? What were the motivations of his captors for keeping him alive? The latter question seems more pressing because ransom doesn’t seem enough to justify his long captivity especially since there were richer political individuals who could have placed greater pressure on the government. There seems to be more to the story which the book conveniently leaves out considering the short timeframe between his father’s unfortunate assassination and his kidnapping.
Shahbaz’s worldview is extremely eurocentric and his attempts at relativity would fare better with a Western audience than a Pakistani one. His everyday experiences are very removed from that of an average Pakistani which made it difficult to connect with him. While I appreciate his honesty, his frankness about his upper class lifestyle seemed tone-deaf and distasteful at times. But it served well to highlight the stark contrast between his life pre-captivity and during his capture.
His Western-bias also determined his experience in terrorist captivity. For someone who spent five years with terrorists, I find it unusual that his account is almost identical to the propaganda you find on Western news outlets.
Don’t get me wrong; I 100% believe he experienced all the tribulations. I do not want to be dismissive about his trauma or perspective but there was something very rigid about his frame of mind. His interpretive framework seemed decontextualised and two-dimensional.
There were also some things I found confusing: how does he recollect memories in such vivid detail in the face of such horrific trauma? What were the motivations of his captors for keeping him alive? The latter question seems more pressing because ransom doesn’t seem enough to justify his long captivity especially since there were richer political individuals who could have placed greater pressure on the government. There seems to be more to the story which the book conveniently leaves out considering the short timeframe between his father’s unfortunate assassination and his kidnapping.
July 5, 2023
𝙇𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙝𝙗𝙖𝙯 𝙏𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙧
🏃🏻 Did you know that Pakistan also have a place called Punjab !? During the partition, Punjab was divided along religious lines. Consequently, the western portion became a part of Pakistan, and the remainder became a part of India.
🏃🏻 In August 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was driving to his office in Lahore, Pakistan, when he was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by a group of Taliban-affiliated terrorists. Just seven months earlier, his father, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province, had been shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
🏃🏻For almost five years Shahbaz was held captive, moved ever deeper into the lawless Hindu Kush, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors, the Taliban and ISIS
📌 Now to most of you it may seem like an blockbuster and thrilling story of an escape, though reality might not the same. Now take a moment and imagine yourself in the same, the sheer feeling of terror and fear are enough to humble you. And to not lose hope and endure throughout is an example of transmutation.
📌 The memoir is an Absorbing, Transformational and Activating read. The book gives a message about what a man can do when walloped by life threatening situations. It shows what lies on the other side of endurance and beliefs.
📌 If you're interested in reading about real life events and experience of people, the transformational journey, how using your mind and heart through the process and the aftermath of the journey then this might be a right fit for your bookshelf.
🏃🏻 Did you know that Pakistan also have a place called Punjab !? During the partition, Punjab was divided along religious lines. Consequently, the western portion became a part of Pakistan, and the remainder became a part of India.
🏃🏻 In August 2011, Shahbaz Taseer was driving to his office in Lahore, Pakistan, when he was dragged from his car at gunpoint and kidnapped by a group of Taliban-affiliated terrorists. Just seven months earlier, his father, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province, had been shot dead by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
🏃🏻For almost five years Shahbaz was held captive, moved ever deeper into the lawless Hindu Kush, frequently tortured and forced to endure extreme cruelty, his fate resting on his kidnappers impossible demands and the uneasy alliances between his captors, the Taliban and ISIS
📌 Now to most of you it may seem like an blockbuster and thrilling story of an escape, though reality might not the same. Now take a moment and imagine yourself in the same, the sheer feeling of terror and fear are enough to humble you. And to not lose hope and endure throughout is an example of transmutation.
📌 The memoir is an Absorbing, Transformational and Activating read. The book gives a message about what a man can do when walloped by life threatening situations. It shows what lies on the other side of endurance and beliefs.
📌 If you're interested in reading about real life events and experience of people, the transformational journey, how using your mind and heart through the process and the aftermath of the journey then this might be a right fit for your bookshelf.
April 6, 2024
Shahbaz Taseer's "Lost to the World" is a harrowing yet inspiring memoir. Taseer recounts his unimaginable ordeal, being kidnapped for over four years by the Uzbek militants operating in Pakistan, and then being imprisoned by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The book pulls no punches, detailing the many types of physical and psychological torture he endured in captivity, the drone and air attacks he survived, and the mark "collateral damage" left on him. However, the book isn't just a tale of suffering and is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
Throughout his ordeal, Shahbaz finds solace in the unwavering love he has for his family, especially his father, the slain governor, Salman Taseer. The governor's assassination, a result of his advocacy for a Christian woman falsely accused of blasphemy, hangs heavy throughout the narrative. I remember how harrowing both the assassination and the subsequent kidnapping in the same family were and how shocked the nation was at the time
This book isn't just a personal story; it's a window into a dark chapter in Pakistan's recent history. The "war on terror" cast a long shadow, leading to violence and instability. Shahbaz's memoir reminds us of the countless lives lost and shattered in this conflict to this day.
This is definitely a difficult read, but I believe it's a necessary one. It's a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the heavy cost of war.
Throughout his ordeal, Shahbaz finds solace in the unwavering love he has for his family, especially his father, the slain governor, Salman Taseer. The governor's assassination, a result of his advocacy for a Christian woman falsely accused of blasphemy, hangs heavy throughout the narrative. I remember how harrowing both the assassination and the subsequent kidnapping in the same family were and how shocked the nation was at the time
This book isn't just a personal story; it's a window into a dark chapter in Pakistan's recent history. The "war on terror" cast a long shadow, leading to violence and instability. Shahbaz's memoir reminds us of the countless lives lost and shattered in this conflict to this day.
This is definitely a difficult read, but I believe it's a necessary one. It's a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the heavy cost of war.
June 23, 2023
Shahbaz Taseer is a Pakistani businessman and the son of the late governor of Punjab. He was held in captivity while commuting to his office in Lahore, Pakistan, for almost five years and was recovered later in Balochistan in 2016. Facing the wrath and cruelty of the Taliban-affiliated terrorists, he was able to escape after almost five years.
Losing his father to a gunshot by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws seven months ago was not enough for Taseer, that he was even kidnapped! This book is an astonishing account of his extraordinary faith, bravery and sorrow, with moments of kindness, humour and empathy.
The books begins from the description of the place he was held captive in, the conditions and the treatment that he was given. Slowly we get to know all about the previous life events as well as the events after the kidnapping. This memoir was easy to read with the words that were used, but it was a bit difficult to read because of the hardships Taseer and his family had to bear. With real life photographs from his life, this one is a great book that also teaches us about will power, the will to live despite of all the hardships and still manages to keep us glued to reading without sounding preachy or needy.
Losing his father to a gunshot by his guard for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws seven months ago was not enough for Taseer, that he was even kidnapped! This book is an astonishing account of his extraordinary faith, bravery and sorrow, with moments of kindness, humour and empathy.
The books begins from the description of the place he was held captive in, the conditions and the treatment that he was given. Slowly we get to know all about the previous life events as well as the events after the kidnapping. This memoir was easy to read with the words that were used, but it was a bit difficult to read because of the hardships Taseer and his family had to bear. With real life photographs from his life, this one is a great book that also teaches us about will power, the will to live despite of all the hardships and still manages to keep us glued to reading without sounding preachy or needy.
June 29, 2023
A Must Read book
The question that Shahbaz Taseer often asked himself while he was in captivity; “What kind of wood am I made of?” The question stemmed from something his father said while unjustly incarcerated, “I’m not made from a wood that burns easily.” Could he be as strong as his father and endure the torture and captivity that lay before him?
Lost to the World: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Five Years in Terrorist Captivity answers that question for us as Taseer takes us through those five years of inhumane treatment and terror in his page-turning book. It is a book you will not want to put down. How can you put the book down when at the end of the chapter you read how one of his captors came running to him terrified, saying, “The Taliban have come. Prepare yourself for war.” With a cliffhanger like that, the reader must turn the page to see what hapens next.
The Taseer family tragedy is one that gripped Pakistan over Salmaan Taseer’s attempt to bring justice to a young Christian woman who had been unjustly accused of a crime she didn’t commit. The book is just as gripping as the days these events unfolded in history.
I recommend this book to the not so faint in heart but to those who love history and memoirs.
The question that Shahbaz Taseer often asked himself while he was in captivity; “What kind of wood am I made of?” The question stemmed from something his father said while unjustly incarcerated, “I’m not made from a wood that burns easily.” Could he be as strong as his father and endure the torture and captivity that lay before him?
Lost to the World: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Five Years in Terrorist Captivity answers that question for us as Taseer takes us through those five years of inhumane treatment and terror in his page-turning book. It is a book you will not want to put down. How can you put the book down when at the end of the chapter you read how one of his captors came running to him terrified, saying, “The Taliban have come. Prepare yourself for war.” With a cliffhanger like that, the reader must turn the page to see what hapens next.
The Taseer family tragedy is one that gripped Pakistan over Salmaan Taseer’s attempt to bring justice to a young Christian woman who had been unjustly accused of a crime she didn’t commit. The book is just as gripping as the days these events unfolded in history.
I recommend this book to the not so faint in heart but to those who love history and memoirs.
May 9, 2023
This memoir is a fascinating tale of resilience, perseverance and the human spirit. Shahbaz Taseer endured horrors no one should have to experience - and many wouldn’t have made it out to tell the tale. This is not only a fascinating story but is also well-written, interesting storytelling that keeps the audience interested.
If a star has been taken off, it’s because of some choices made that did not sit well. For those of us who followed this case in real time, it was Maheen’s constant media presence which kept eyes on this case and ordeal. To mostly remove her from the narrative and not acknowledge a thank you to the mother of your child does not sit well. Many go through divorce but can still acknowledge ex partners and their positives.
There’s also a lack of emotion in this narrative. It would’ve been nice to know more about the struggle, the return to normal life after living through such an ordeal. It cannot be easy - it must’ve been very difficult. But we’re given a fluffy version of the return rather than hard hitting writing.
Overall, it’s a very enjoyable book (if that’s the correct word for a grim story).
If a star has been taken off, it’s because of some choices made that did not sit well. For those of us who followed this case in real time, it was Maheen’s constant media presence which kept eyes on this case and ordeal. To mostly remove her from the narrative and not acknowledge a thank you to the mother of your child does not sit well. Many go through divorce but can still acknowledge ex partners and their positives.
There’s also a lack of emotion in this narrative. It would’ve been nice to know more about the struggle, the return to normal life after living through such an ordeal. It cannot be easy - it must’ve been very difficult. But we’re given a fluffy version of the return rather than hard hitting writing.
Overall, it’s a very enjoyable book (if that’s the correct word for a grim story).
August 29, 2023
An unputdownable, heartwrenching yet inspiring book recounting the harrowing ordeal of Shahbaz Taseer.
Taseer narrates his kidnapping from Lahore and transport to Pakistan's lawless tribal areas where he faced brutal torture at the hands of his kidnappers and solitary confinement stretching to months.
The narrative is very smooth and the events so absorbing that you find it hard to put the book down.
During his ordeal Taseer is also met with some rare and much needed instances of compassion and humanity. From making friends with his kidnapper's children to his tormenter's mother in law rescuing him from the most inhuman torture.
The tale takes us on a journey along with Taseer to the more remote areas of the tribal belt where the kidnapper flees to escape army bombing and then onto Afghanistan where things take a turn for the worst for the kidnapper.
However, Taseer finds some help from within the Taliban and makes a miraculous and unbelievable escape to Pakistan, traversing the breadth of Afghanistan on a motorbike.
The book is replete with examples of the worst and best humans can become. It's truly a Hollywood movie material.
Taseer narrates his kidnapping from Lahore and transport to Pakistan's lawless tribal areas where he faced brutal torture at the hands of his kidnappers and solitary confinement stretching to months.
The narrative is very smooth and the events so absorbing that you find it hard to put the book down.
During his ordeal Taseer is also met with some rare and much needed instances of compassion and humanity. From making friends with his kidnapper's children to his tormenter's mother in law rescuing him from the most inhuman torture.
The tale takes us on a journey along with Taseer to the more remote areas of the tribal belt where the kidnapper flees to escape army bombing and then onto Afghanistan where things take a turn for the worst for the kidnapper.
However, Taseer finds some help from within the Taliban and makes a miraculous and unbelievable escape to Pakistan, traversing the breadth of Afghanistan on a motorbike.
The book is replete with examples of the worst and best humans can become. It's truly a Hollywood movie material.
July 31, 2023
It was very difficult to read through this book. The pain that the author has had to go through is gruesome in nature and the immense faith and hope he has shown throughout the ordeal is remarkable and stands as a pillar of encouragement to many still fighting in today's society for justice. It is an emotionally charged account that delves deep into the extremist religions and their impact on human beings, leaving readers with a heavy heart and a profound sense of contemplation. Written with stunning prose, the author masterfully weaves a tapestry of sorrow and resilience, creating an unforgettable journey of pain and redemption.
It is a heart-touching book that captures the essence of grief and the resilience of the human spirit. It will stay with you long after you turn the last page, reminding you of the fragility and strength that coexist within us all. If you're prepared to embrace the sadness, this book will touch your soul in profound ways.
It is a heart-touching book that captures the essence of grief and the resilience of the human spirit. It will stay with you long after you turn the last page, reminding you of the fragility and strength that coexist within us all. If you're prepared to embrace the sadness, this book will touch your soul in profound ways.
October 30, 2023
This book will make you imagine the unimaginable world. Reason i am giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because the start of this book was a bit scattered and i found repetitive mentioning of events. Obviously his love for his father was very evident. However, it was lengthy and repetitive, and as a reader i found it frustrating and immediate said this is not a book, it a diary of a boy. But i am glad to say that this is NOT TRUE for the entire book. Shahbaz picked up the author’s rhythm very quickly and his story-telling tremendously improved and i enjoyed reading it.
I have utmost respect for how he kept it real and did not hold himself from writing about his weak moments and his scare. Nowhere in the book he pretended to be an action hero from Hollywood although he was one all along.
Disclaimer: read it when you are in a good place in life surrounded by love because this book is a tough read.
I have utmost respect for how he kept it real and did not hold himself from writing about his weak moments and his scare. Nowhere in the book he pretended to be an action hero from Hollywood although he was one all along.
Disclaimer: read it when you are in a good place in life surrounded by love because this book is a tough read.
November 4, 2022
This is a story of incredible faith, courage, and hope.
Shahbaz Taseer was living a privileged life in Lahore when Uzbek militants kidnapped him as he was driving to work. Little did he know, he would spend the next 4 1/2 years with his captors, eventually being moved into the family house of his cruelest abductor. I admit the torture scenes in this book were hard to read but knowing that Taseer escapes at some point kept me reading.
This incredible true story of hope and resilience made me appreciate Taseer's will to survive despite such brutal conditions. I also appreciate that it gave me a non-western perspective on the infighting among the IMU, the Taliban, and ISIS.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me an ALC of this book in return for an honest review.
Shahbaz Taseer is not made from wood that burns easily.
Shahbaz Taseer was living a privileged life in Lahore when Uzbek militants kidnapped him as he was driving to work. Little did he know, he would spend the next 4 1/2 years with his captors, eventually being moved into the family house of his cruelest abductor. I admit the torture scenes in this book were hard to read but knowing that Taseer escapes at some point kept me reading.
This incredible true story of hope and resilience made me appreciate Taseer's will to survive despite such brutal conditions. I also appreciate that it gave me a non-western perspective on the infighting among the IMU, the Taliban, and ISIS.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me an ALC of this book in return for an honest review.
Shahbaz Taseer is not made from wood that burns easily.
December 12, 2022
Literally devoured this one. It was so inspiring and shocking at the same time to read about Taseer's journey when he was abducted and all that was near and dear to him was snatched away from him in a second. All the lonely nights that he spent in his cell, all forms of unfathomable torture he was subjected to, all the pain he felt when he and his family were insulted, all the paths he walked, bruised and tired to his bones, tears of pain and joy that he shed, it all becomes so real and palpable through this memoir. His account was easy to read and one felt like witnessing everything that he went through, first hand. It just became repetitive sometimes. Maybe he did it deliberately as he gives you that feeling that he is reminiscing over those horrible 4 and a half years that he spent as a captive.
November 25, 2022
This audiobook was a very moving autobiographical telling of Taseer’s kidnapping by a network of terrorists. His father who was the governor in Punjab Pakistan was a VERY affluent businessman who had been assassinated in early 2011. The author traveled to various countries, went to school in England, had experienced a modern upbringing and experienced western countries and culture.
This is an account of what transpired eight months after his father’s death. Shahbaz Taseer was abducted and held for four and a half YEARS while his captors tortured him in various sadistic ways. It was difficult to read at times but important to understand. What an amazing testament of endurance and not giving up in the most barbaric of situations.
This is an account of what transpired eight months after his father’s death. Shahbaz Taseer was abducted and held for four and a half YEARS while his captors tortured him in various sadistic ways. It was difficult to read at times but important to understand. What an amazing testament of endurance and not giving up in the most barbaric of situations.
June 27, 2023
LOST TO THE WORLD is a non-fiction narration of the captivity of Shahbaz Taseer, a man who was forced to live in terrorist captivity for 5 years. This book is not a story, it's someone's life. The torture a human being went through at the hands of terrorism is definitely heart wrenching.
It's pouring pain to read the book, with a lot of pictures to bring more life to it. The astonishing escape of Taseer is even more daring than the escape of reel life stories.
What holds quite interesting is the fact that Taseer holds on to his spiritual self in search of hope and strength. The Holy book Quran and it's verses help him get out of the world from where there was no escape.
This book indeed is a lightning experience for the people who are stuck in hopeless situations of life.
It's pouring pain to read the book, with a lot of pictures to bring more life to it. The astonishing escape of Taseer is even more daring than the escape of reel life stories.
What holds quite interesting is the fact that Taseer holds on to his spiritual self in search of hope and strength. The Holy book Quran and it's verses help him get out of the world from where there was no escape.
This book indeed is a lightning experience for the people who are stuck in hopeless situations of life.
November 26, 2025
Lost to the World, A memoir of faith, family, and five years in terrorist captivity by Shahbaz Taseer is the inspiring story of the son of the former governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer. After the brutal killing of his father in January 2011 by his own bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadiri, in August 2011 Shahbaz was abducted by the Uzbek extremists from the city of Lahore. Shahbaz Taseer was given extreme mental and physical torture by his captives. But even after tormenting all of this pain and trauma, he didn't lose hope. Shahbaz was kept by his captives in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and later on he was taken to Afghanistan, where he got his freedom. Shahbaz Taseer spent four and a half years in captivity. It's a story of hope against all odds.
January 20, 2025
The fact that this book by Shahbaz Taseer is not a fiction but memoir, a story based on facts checked by third parties is nothing short of a miracle. The story itself revolves around a miracle of surviving a kidnapping, kind of like which is rare and uncommon. The transition from the lavish urban life to impoverished rural settings of more than one country is astounding yet sad. Tragic to say the least, this book is a page turner and can be read in a single setting. This writing does make you think as well as thank for little pleasures of life that are simply taken for granted. A writing done well and should be a case study. Solid 4 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 14, 2025reading the reviews of this book is INSANE why are people analyzing the story and relationships and concluding what was good and bad, this is not literature it's simply a real life retelling of a man's captivity and torture, these reviews are a case study in pretentiousness. in this essay i will-
but anyways i used to be intrigued and curious with shahbaz taseer's story during his period of captivity for some reason wondering where he was holed up in waziristan or afghanistan, whether he would ever come back. I used to follow all updates obsessively. Sometimes life is crazy and so is this story literally a miracle upon miracle.
but anyways i used to be intrigued and curious with shahbaz taseer's story during his period of captivity for some reason wondering where he was holed up in waziristan or afghanistan, whether he would ever come back. I used to follow all updates obsessively. Sometimes life is crazy and so is this story literally a miracle upon miracle.
July 17, 2023
Unbelievable story of indomitable grit.
It goes from bad to worse as far as human treatment goes. Shehbaz Taseer writes a harrowing account of his multiple bouts of captivity and torture under the most trying conditions. Definitely one for the "life lessons" section on your book shelf. Also shows how much more work is needed on the security front in Pakistan - from universal education to eradicating poverty and hunger - lack of which are precursors contributing to a fragile security climate.
It goes from bad to worse as far as human treatment goes. Shehbaz Taseer writes a harrowing account of his multiple bouts of captivity and torture under the most trying conditions. Definitely one for the "life lessons" section on your book shelf. Also shows how much more work is needed on the security front in Pakistan - from universal education to eradicating poverty and hunger - lack of which are precursors contributing to a fragile security climate.
September 8, 2023
The author has talent to glue the reader to read until the end. But there are gaps. Which leaves the reader with confusion and unanswered questions. For example, there is no mention of the swap of the wives. At the start of the book, it was someone else, but by the end, it was someone else.
But anyway, this book made me trust more in fate, miricles, and trusting God's will more. I thank God that the author was safely back home. And I think I will be praying for the rest of my life for all prisoners, hostages and captives that May God help them as He helped the author, Shahbaz Taseer.
But anyway, this book made me trust more in fate, miricles, and trusting God's will more. I thank God that the author was safely back home. And I think I will be praying for the rest of my life for all prisoners, hostages and captives that May God help them as He helped the author, Shahbaz Taseer.
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