Concerted efforts being made to recover retired army officer: Sartaj Aziz
Investigations reveal those who offered colonel job, booked air ticket and hotel are Indian
Sartaj Aziz says Islamabad has been in constant touch with the Nepalese authorities to recover Colonel (retd) Zahir. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Thursday informed the senate that the government was in constant touch with Nepalese authorities as part of concerted efforts to recover missing Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Mohammad Habib Zahir.
The adviser made the statement after Senator Ateeq Sheikh submitted an adjournment motion in the senate today to debate the alleged abduction of the retired colonel.
Three Indians identified in Col Zahir's abduction
According to Sartaj Aziz, Colonel Habib had travelled to Kathmandu from Lahore via London for a job on April 6. However, after reaching Kathmandu on April 7, he lost contact with his family.
“Colonel (retd) Zahir had applied online for a job and after the modalities were finalised, he travelled to Kathmandu. He and his family had all the records of correspondence with the employer,” added PM's adviser.
Senator Ateeq raised the matter while insisting the case had been a plot of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – India’s spy agency – to pressurise Pakistan on Kulbushan Jadhav’s case.
“If it is an Indian conspiracy, we should come out with emphatic and clear stance,” Sheikh told the house.
Fearing Colonel (retd) Zahir might have been abducted by suspected RAW agents, Sartaj said investigations had revealed that all those who offered the Pakistani colonel a job, received him at the airport and booked the air ticket and hotel for him, are Indian.
As soon as, Colonel (retd) Zahir's family received the news that he had gone missing, they informed the General Headquarters (GHQ), Sartaj said and added, the government had already raised the issue with the Nepalese government.
Nepal police ‘clueless about missing Pakistani ex-serviceman’
The incident has been reported to the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Forced Disappearances and a First Information Report (FIR) has also been lodged in Pakistan, the adviser continued.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani later admitted his motion and set for discussion on Friday.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Thursday informed the senate that the government was in constant touch with Nepalese authorities as part of concerted efforts to recover missing Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Mohammad Habib Zahir.
The adviser made the statement after Senator Ateeq Sheikh submitted an adjournment motion in the senate today to debate the alleged abduction of the retired colonel.
Three Indians identified in Col Zahir's abduction
According to Sartaj Aziz, Colonel Habib had travelled to Kathmandu from Lahore via London for a job on April 6. However, after reaching Kathmandu on April 7, he lost contact with his family.
“Colonel (retd) Zahir had applied online for a job and after the modalities were finalised, he travelled to Kathmandu. He and his family had all the records of correspondence with the employer,” added PM's adviser.
Senator Ateeq raised the matter while insisting the case had been a plot of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – India’s spy agency – to pressurise Pakistan on Kulbushan Jadhav’s case.
“If it is an Indian conspiracy, we should come out with emphatic and clear stance,” Sheikh told the house.
Fearing Colonel (retd) Zahir might have been abducted by suspected RAW agents, Sartaj said investigations had revealed that all those who offered the Pakistani colonel a job, received him at the airport and booked the air ticket and hotel for him, are Indian.
As soon as, Colonel (retd) Zahir's family received the news that he had gone missing, they informed the General Headquarters (GHQ), Sartaj said and added, the government had already raised the issue with the Nepalese government.
Nepal police ‘clueless about missing Pakistani ex-serviceman’
The incident has been reported to the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Forced Disappearances and a First Information Report (FIR) has also been lodged in Pakistan, the adviser continued.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani later admitted his motion and set for discussion on Friday.