2 Indian clerics, including Nizamuddin Dargah head, go missing in Pak

Islamabad/New Delhi: Two Indian clerics, including the head priest of New Delhi's Nizamuddin Dargah, have gone missing in Pakistan, prompting India to take up the matter with the Pakistani government.

According to official sources in New Delhi, Asif Nizami, the chief priest, and Nazim Nizami had gone to visit the famous Daata Darbar shrine in Lahore and were to catch a flight from there to Karachi on Wednesday.

"As per their families, while Asif was allowed to go to Karachi, Nazim was stopped at the Lahore airport on grounds of incomplete travel papers.”

"While Nazim went missing from Lahore airport, Asif went missing after arriving at the Karachi airport," a source said.

The matter has been taken up with the Pakistan government both in New Delhi as well as through the Indian mission in Islamabad, the source said.

The duo had gone to Karachi to meet their relatives on March 8 before travelling to Lahore to visit the shrine.

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

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said both Syed Asif Nizami and his nephew Nazim Nizami went missing after they landed at 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.