External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today asserted that she is in constant touch with the High Commission on the issue of two missing Indian sufi clerics in Pakistan.
In a series of tweets, Swaraj said the Indian High Commission in Pakistan has taken up the matter of missing Indians -- Syed Asif Ali Nizami, the head priest (Sajjadanashin) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah, and Nazim Ali Nizami -- at the highest level in the government of Pakistan.
“Indian High Commission in Pakistan has taken up the matter of missing Indians Syed Asif Ali Nizami and Nazim Ali Nizami at the highest level in the Government of Pakistan,” Swaraj tweeted.
“I am in constant touch with our High Commission. However, there is no official confirmation regarding their whereabouts. We are pursuing this further with the Government of Pakistan,” she further tweeted.
Earlier today, the Pakistan Foreign Office confirmed that a request had been received from India seeking assistance in tracing two clerics who went missing after visiting Lahore's Data Darbar.
Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the request had been received and forwarded to the Interior Ministry, who are pursuing the matter.
Swaraj said that she has spoken to the Pakistani authorities about the two clerics.
“Indian nationals Syed Asif Ali Nizami, 80, and his nephew Nazim Ali Nizami went to Pakistan on March 8,” she tweeted.
“We have taken up this matter with the government of Pakistan and requested them for an update.”
Head cleric Asif Nizami and Nazim Nizami went missing in Pakistan, during their visit to Lahore's Data Darbar. The clerics have been missing since Wednesday.
According to the family of the clerics, the duo was set to fly to Karachi on Wednesday, and while Asif was allowed to board, Nazim was stopped at Lahore airport on grounds of incomplete documents.
Exchanges between clerics of Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi, and the Data Darbar are part of a regular tradition.
(With agencies inputs)
