India raises concerns with Pakistan over missing clerics

New Delhi: India has taken up with Pakistan the matter of head priest of Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah and his nephew going missing in that country, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Friday.

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.

80-year-old Syed Asif Nizami is the head priest (Sajjadanashin) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah.

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

The two had gone to visit the famous Daata Darbar shrine in Lahore and were to catch a flight from there to Karachi on Wednesday.

The clerics 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.