RIYADH, 16 March 2003 — The parents of a 13-year-old Pakistani boy who went missing exactly a year ago have lost all hope of finding him. Efforts by the local police, the Pakistani Embassy and non-governmental organizations to trace the boy have drawn a blank.
Abdul Rahman disappeared in mysterious circumstances on March 13 last year from a Riyadh suburb. His father Jan Muhammad is currently in Pakistan looking for clues which might help in tracing the missing boy, said Bhagwant Mistak, the boy’s mother.
Mistak still suspects foul play by some Pakistani workers living in her neighborhood. She said that four Pakistanis who were detained during the initial stages of the investigation have since been released by the police.
The Pakistan Embassy has sent reminders to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to follow up on the missing boy’s case, who is now believed to have been abducted by a pervert.
There has not been any substantial progress in the case, an embassy official confirmed yesterday. “The embassy, however, seems to be fully satisfied with the investigation conducted by the local authorities,” said Mistak, alleging that “the embassy has done nothing so far to help.”
Abdul Rahman was the third son from the first wife of Muhammad, who has six sons and one daughter from two wives. The family hails from Dera Ghazi Khan.
Mistak said the local police could not even locate the motorbike the boy was riding on the day of his disappearance.
A reward of SR10,000 has been announced for anyone giving information about the missing boy, the mother said.