Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging him to intervene in the distressing case of a Kashmiri engineer imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for several years.
Abdul Rafi Baba from Srinagar's Soura has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for the past four years under "unclear circumstances".
Taking to social media, Mehdi's office stated: "Urgent Appeal: @ruhullahmehdi has written to Hon’ble EAM @DrSJaishankar regarding the detention of a Kashmiri citizen in Saudi Arabia. He urged immediate intervention to expedite the individual’s release and safe return home. Hope @MEAIndia ensures swift consular assistance."
Urgent Appeal: @ruhullahmehdi has written to Hon’ble EAM @DrSJaishankar regarding the detention of a Kashmiri citizen in Saudi Arabia. He urged immediate intervention to expedite the individual’s release & safe return home. Hope @MEAIndia ensures swift consular assistance.
— Office of Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi (@Office_ASRM) February 4, 2025
On February 1, ETV Bharat reported that 36-year-old Baba was, according to his family, picked up from his workplace and later arrested by Saudi police in early 2020. On March 1, 2020, the news reached his family.
Since then, his family has been desperately searching for answers—knocking on every door, making endless inquiries, and running from pillar to post—just to find out about his well-being and whereabouts.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has also written to the External Affairs Minister, seeking his intervention to secure Baba’s release.
"We have written to the Union External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar Ji, seeking his intervention regarding a Kashmiri engineer, Abdul Rafi Baba, who is facing an uncertain fate in a Saudi Arabian jail," JKSA chairman Nasir Khuehami said. "We have requested him to explore all diplomatic channels to secure Baba’s release, ensure a fair trial, and facilitate his repatriation as soon as possible," he said.
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