Ex Pakistani Col Muhammad Habib Zahir goes missing in Nepal

Published On: April 10, 2017 02:24 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, April 10: Pakistani former Colonel (Col) Muhammad Habib Zahir, who arrived in Nepal three days ago to reportedly face an interview for a United Nations job, has gone missing.

According to the Pakistani Defense Ministry, Zahir arrived in Nepal via an Air Arabia flight (Call Sign WY 344) on Thursday, with the passport no. AJ5122964, to face an UN job interview in Nepal.

Pakistani Embassy in Nepal has sent a letter to the Nepal Army headquarters through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking information about his whereabouts.

A team of the International Crime Bureau of the Nepal Army is searching him at the request of the Pakistani Embassy in Nepal.

According to the Bureau, Zahir had come to Oman via an Air Arabia flight and arrived in Nepal on April 6 from Muscat, the Capital City of Oman.

Upon his arrival in Nepal Zahir went to Bhairahawa by a flight Buddha Air and informed his family members saying that he reached Lumbuni.

“We have started searching Colonel Zahir after receiving information that former Pakistani Colonel went missing in Nepal at the request of Pakistani Embassy,” said Sarbendra Khanal, spokesperson of the Nepal Police.

It is yet to be investigated who called him to Nepal and how he went missing from Bhairahawa.

The reason for calling him to Nepal for a UN job interview in Lumbini sounds mysterious as there is no UN body in the set venue.

According to the report of a Pakistani newspaper, Zahir had retired as Colonel in 2014 and Mark Thomson had called him to Lumbini based on his personal details posted by him on a website. There had been a correspondence between the two. Thomson had called him to Nepal to face interview and had himself sent an air ticket for him, reported the newspaper.

www.defense.pk has claimed that Javed Ansari had given him Sim Card 9813848689 on his name. Zahir had reached Lumbuni and called his family members through the same number.

Now the cell no is switched off. Zahir is out of contact