No clue on missing Indian clerics so far but Pakistan proactively pursuing the case: Nafees Zakaria

Pakistan on Saturday conveyed to India that it was “seriously pursuing” with its law enforcement agencies the case of two missing Indian clerics, an issue External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said has been taken up with the Pakistani government.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told PTI in Islamabad that, “no clue to the missing Indian priests has been found so far” but Pakistan was “pro-actively pursuing” the case.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj said both Syed Asif Nizami and his nephew Nazim Nizami went missing after they landed at the Karachi airport and Pakistan government has been requested for an update on both the Indian nationals.

“We have taken up this matter with Government of Pakistan and requested them for an update on both the Indian nationals in Pakistan. Both are missing after they landed in Karachi airport,” tweeted Swaraj.

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80-year-old Syed Asif Nizami is the head priest (Sajjadanashin) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah. Official sources in New Delhi said Pakistan has conveyed that it was “seriously pursuing” the case with its law enforcement agencies.

“Indian nationals Syed Asif Nizami aged 80 years and his nephew Nazim Ali Nizami had gone to Pakistan on March 8, 2017,” Swaraj said.

Zakaria also said, “We have asked all departments concerned to look into the matter”, noting that the Foreign Office had received the request of the Indian government to trace the two clerics.

Exchanges between clerics of the Nizamuddin Dargah and the Daata Darbar are part of a regular tradition.