Missing Indian Sufi priests traced, Sushma Swaraj speaks to Sartaj Aziz
Two Indian Sufi clerics who went missing in Pakistan have reached Karachi, and are set to return to India on March 20.
In Short
- Swaraj said Aziz assured her "of all help in tracing the missing clerics."
- The two clerics are 80-year old Syed Asif Ali Nizami and his nephew Nazim Nizami.
- Their family in India wasn't able to get in touch with them.
Two Indian Sufi clerics of Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah who went missing in Pakistan have been found, Sindh Police officials told the local media on Saturday.
Both were found in a remote village of Sindh province with no mobile connectivity, and were sent to Karachi. They will be deported to India on March 20.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today tweeted that she'd spoken to Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs about the missing Indian nationals.
Aziz assured her "of all help in tracing the missing clerics," she said.
CLERICS TRAVELLED TO PAKISTAN ON MARCH 8
80-year old Syed Asif Ali Nizami and his nephew Nazim Nizami travelled to Pakistan on March 8, Swaraj said earlier this week. They offered 'chadars' at shrines in Lahore on March 13 and 14.
When they reached the airport the next day to take a return flight for Karachi, Nazim Ali Nizami was stopped to clear some documentation. Syed Asif Ali Nizami was asked to board the flight.
Asif Ali Nizami reached Karachi airport and asked his relatives to pick him up, but he didn't come out.
After that, their mobile phones have been switched off, and their family in India wasn't able to get in touch with them.
But today, Aamir Nizami, son of Asif Nizami, said that phone of one of the clerics was ringing.
"We have not spoken to them (the clerics). The Indian government called up. We thank them....Earlier his phone was switched off. Now its ringing. We shall be able to talk to him soon," ANI quoted Aamir as saying.
SWARAJ TAKES URGENT ACTION
Syed Sajid Ali Nizami, Asif Nizami's elder son, had said earlier this week that Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh had "taken cognisance of the issue and promised urgent action. They have assured us that my father and cousin will reach back soon."
Sushma Swaraj said yesterday that the Centre had taken up the matter with the Pakistan government, and asked for an update. Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria confirmed the receipt of an Indian request seeking assistance for the recovery of the clerics.
He said it had been forwarded to the Pakistani Interior Ministry.
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