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Press Releases
BBC calls on Pakistan government for urgent help to locate missing journalist
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The BBC today expressed "serious concern" over the sudden disappearance of one of
its reporters, Dilawar Khan Wazir, in Pakistan and called on the Pakistan government
to help locate the missing journalist.
Mr Khan, a Pakistani journalist who has been reporting for the BBC
from South Waziristan, went missing from Islamabad on Monday under what the BBC
described as "suspicious circumstances".
The BBC spokesperson said the organisation was seriously concerned about the
whereabouts of its reporter.
He confirmed that the BBC World Service Director Nigel
Chapman had written formally to the Pakistan Interior Ministry to request urgent
help in tracing Dilawar Khan Wazir.
Nigel Chapman wrote: "I am seriously concerned about the whereabouts of our
reporter and would request your kind help in tracing him at the earliest. I would
be very grateful for your support in this matter."
Dilawar was in the federal capital to visit his younger brother Zulfiqar Ali who is
a student at the Islamic University.
He was on his way back to his hometown Dera
Ismail Khan after seeing his brother. His family has not heard from him since then.
Accoring to Zulfiqar, some plain clothes men came to the hostel (of the
Islamic University) and told his friends that Dilawar had met an accident and
insisted that Zulfiqar should come with them to the hospital.
Dilawar's brother got
suspicious and did not accompany them.
When Zulfiqar called on Dilawar's mobile phone, the call was received by someone
who identified himself as Dr Jamshed.
He reportedly asked Zulfiqar to rush to the
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS): "Your brother met an accident near
Peer Wadhai and is seriously injured."
When the BBC checked with PIMS, the local police and other offices in the
capital there was no confirmation of any accident involving Dilawar Khan
Wazir.
When the BBC's Islamabad correspondent visited the hospital in question
there was no trace of Dilawar and no member of the staff by the name of Dr Jamshed.
A BBC spokesperson said: "We are concerned for the safety of Dilawar Khan Wazir. We
are investigating this matter with some urgency and are in touch with Pakistani
authorities. We expect them to do their utmost in helping us trace our reporter."
BBC World Service Press Office
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