Missing cleric's son pleads that his father be released

New Delhi: The son of the Nizamuddin dargah head priest, who has gone missing in Pakistan, on Friday pleaded that his father be "released" as he is not involved in "any activity" that should invite any action.

Sajid Ali Nizami told reporters that his father Syed Asif Nizami (80) went missing at Karachi Airport while few others, including Nazim Nizami, who were travelling with him were detained at Lahore.

"We have this information that he (Syed) is in Karachi. Our relatives went to the airport to recieve them but he never came out. They directed them to send my father to Karachi alone. But then he never came out of the airport."

"Whoever has him, we just want to tell them we are not involved in any activity. We are sufi people. We belong to Hazrat Nizamuddin, we are staying here for the last 700 years. We want him to be released as soon as possible," Sajid said.

When contacted, Syed Afsar Ali Nizami, in-charge of the Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, said they were yet to receive any information about their whereabouts.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said the Indian government has taken up the matter with Pakistan.

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