Indonesian students: Disappearance from IIUI shrouded in mystery

Visas of the four students expired in July, but they did not renew them before vanishing from scene.

ISLAMABAD:

The disappearance of four Indonesian students of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) is shrouded in mystery as the university management has failed to find a clue to their whereabouts.

The students of Faculty of Islamic Studies disappeared on August 22 after their visas expired in July, but the university management only registered an FIR with the Sabzi Mandi police last Friday.



“As part of the investigation, we have also asked cellular companies to share the data of their cell numbers to help track down their locations,” said Athar Khan, the investigation officer (IO) of the case.

He said that they have also sent a request to the Foreign Office to contact the Indonesian embassy and seek their help in ascertaining whether they have left the country.

When asked if the missing students could have joined an extremist group, the IO said that no evidence of such a connection could be established at the moment.

“We have met their roommates and class fellows, and according to them, the missing students have no record of being part of or having affiliations with an extremist group,” he said.

The IO said that they have also sought the help of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to confirm from immigration authorities if the students have left the country.

“We are investigating the case. Let the details come. Only then we will be able to share information,” he said.

IIUI Rector Masoom Yasinzai said that according to his information, one of the students has reached Indonesia.

However, he was unsure about the whereabouts of the other three.

Yasinzai said the three students were enrolled in 2011 while the one who has “gone back home” was admitted in 2012.

“Embassies usually don’t inform the university about non-issuance of visas to students,” he said.

When asked why the FIR was registered two months later, he said there was a delay because of summer vacations, while adding that an application was filed with the police in September, but it was only registered in October.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2013.