The two Indian Muslim clerics — Syed Asif Nizami and his nephew Nazim Nizami — who had gone missing in Pakistan since March 15, have been released by Pakistani Intelligence after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor Sartaz Aziz on Saturday. The Pakistan Foreign Office on Saturday informed Indian High Commission in Islamabad that the two clerics are now with their relative in Karachi.
“I spoke to Sartaj Aziz Pakistan PM’s Adviser on foreign affairs regarding 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. Sartaj Aziz is presently in london,” Sushma tweeted. In less than an hour of her conversation with Aziz, the two Indians were located.
The Indian Government was constantly pressurising Pakistan to locate its two Muslims clerics of Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, believed to have been picked up Pakistan intelligence, possibly over suspicion for allegedly having links with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain, the media reports from lahore said.
Syed Asif Nizami and Nazim Nizami went to Pakistan on March 8. They reportedly went missing from lahore airport, from where they were scheduled to fly to Karachi, since March 15.
“The personnel of an intelligence took both the clerics into custody after getting them offloaded and shifted them to an undisclosed location for investigation,” the sources told news agency PTI in Islamabad.
“They are being interrogated for their alleged links with Altaf's partymen in Karachi,” the sources had said, adding they will be freed if nothing was established against them.
The Indian High Commission in Pakistan also was pursuing the matter of the missing Indians with Pak Foreign Office. “We have also contacted their host in Karachi who appears to be under pressure not to speak to the Indian High Commission,” Sushma tweeted earlier.