Habib’s kidnapping: Rabbani offers in-camera sitting to share info

• PPP lawmaker requests govt to take missing person’s matter in UN
• Sherry says India trying to use others’ soil in conspiracies against Pakistan
• Aitzaz urges for having strong foreign policy to have better terms with all neighbours

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has said that the parliamentarians have right to know about major issues including missing of Habib Zahir, a retired Pakistan Army colonel who was disappeared in Nepal on April 6.

During the Senate session, he asked Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch that they were ready if the government wants to share information in-camera regarding the kidnapping of the retired army officer.

Baloch informed the Senate that the government was taking sincere efforts for the early recovery of the retired army colonel. To an adjournment motion, moved by Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, he said that the government was seriously handling this issue and trying to recover him as early as possible.

He said that the Foreign Office and other relevant departments were playing role in the disappearance of Col Habib, a resident of Rawalpindi. He said that the missing retired colonel had reached Nepal via Oman on April 6 this year. He said he was traced through his last mobile call which he made to his family member when he was at a village near the Indian border.

He said that the person who received him at the airport in Nepal was an Indian citizen, who was working with a firm related with mountaineering sector. Baloch said that the involvement of India’s RAW intelligence agency cannot be ruled out in the disappearance of Col Habib. “We were looking for conducive proof of Indian involvement in Habib’s kidnapping,” he said.

Earlier, the upper house discussed in detail the matter of disappearance of Col Habib. Senator Ateeq said that the government had cordial relations with the Nepal government and urged the government to use good offices to recover the missing Pakistani.

He said that the retired army officer was busy in search of a job and shared his CV for a job but he was trapped. He said that those who received him at the airport in Nepal was reportedly the Indian citizen. He urged to take sincere steps for his early recovery him. According to media reports, RAW was involved in the disappearance, he said.

Former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik said that it was a matter of intent of committing a crime by India. He said that Internet was used to trap Col Habib. Bilaterally, “it is our right by way of the charter of Interpol to make all steps to recover our citizen,” he said. He said that it was a national issue as country’s enemy was involved in the kidnapping.

He said that this was consistent attack and a crime which was committed by India against Pakistan. He said that India has basically exploited a person who wanted a job. He said that the investigating agencies should investigate all facts. He requested the government to take this matter in the United Nations.

Senator Abdul Qayyum said that India always remained busy in destabilising Pakistan. India must involve itself to promote peace in the region, he suggested. He said that it was the responsibility of the United Nations and super powers to resolve these types of matters. However, he said that they had adopted dual standards.

He said that Indian was trying to provoke in western border. He said India was creating destabilisation in the region. Senator Sehar Kamran said that Col Habib was trapped by showing the impression of giving the job to him. She said that it was a matter of concern that the land of Nepal was used for the purpose.

She said that all possible steps should be taken by the government for early recovery of Col Habib. She said that Indian can go anyway against Pakistan to ‘isolate’ it. Senator Sherry Rehman said that Pakistani embassy had an important role to play in the recovery of Col Habib. She said that India was trying to use soil of other countries in conspiracies against Pakistan.

Senator John Kenneth Williams said that country’s authorities should make a proper strategy for early recovery of Col Habib. Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan urged for having a strong foreign policy to have better terms with all neighbouring countries. He suggested that the government should take this matter on the international forum.