'Missing' Indian clerics traced in Karachi

The two religious figures, who allegedly made a stopover in rural Sindh, will return home tomorrow, confirms Sushma

KARACHI: Two Indian clerics of Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia's Dargah who went missing in the country have been ‘traced’ and will return to India soon.

"Pakistan’s Foreign Office has confirmed they have been traced and reached Karachi," the Press Trust of India reported, citing unnamed sources.

Syed Asif Ali Nizami, 80, and his nephew Nazim Ali Nizami, were visiting Data Darbar in Lahore when they went missing on Wednesday.

The development was also confirmed by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said both the religious figures were safe in Karachi and will return to Delhi on Monday.

I just spoke to Syed Nazim Ali Nizami in Karachi. He told me that they are safe and will be back in Delhi tomorrow. #Nizamuddin

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 19, 2017

Reports of their recovery emerged on Saturday after Sushma spoke to foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz.



"I spoke to Mr Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs, regarding the missing Indian nationals Syed Asif Ali Nizami and Nazim Ali Nizami of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah. He assured me of all help in tracing the missing clerics," Swaraj tweeted.

I spoke to Mr. Sartaj Aziz Pakistan PM's Adviser on foreign affairs regarding missing Indian nationals /1 #Nizamuddin

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 18, 2017

Syed Asif Ali Nizami and Nazim Ali Nizami of Hazrat #Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah. He assured me of all help in tracing the missing clerics. /2

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 18, 2017

Separately, local media reports, citing unnamed sources, said both the clerics were recovered from Karachi's Nazimabad neighbourhood. They had apparently been to “[rural] Sindh to meet their followers, where there was no communication network", which is why they could not inform their relatives about their whereabouts.

However, when contacted, police officials in Karachi, including DIG West and Central Zulfiqar Larik, and DSP Nazimabad, denied the reports.

Meanwhile, an official told The Express Tribune that the two clerics were considered 'suspicious' because they used to visit their relatives in the Sanda area of Lahore every few months.