New Delhi: Two Indian nationals went missing in Kenya in July and India has been in touch with the Kenyan authorities to ensure their release, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. The Indians have been identified as Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Zaid Sami Kidwai, according to MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
"As far as we understand, there were two Indian nationals, Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Zaid Sami Kidwai, and they have been missing in Kenya since mid-July. A police complaint was filed there soon after that," he said. "Subsequently, a habeas corpus petition was filed in the Kenyan court. "We understand that the issue is now sub-judice in the high court of Kenya and a number of hearings have taken place," Bagchi said.
He said the Indian High Commission in Kenya has been in continuous touch with the Kenyan authorities. "We are also, I think, in touch with some family members... We are keeping a close eye on the issue... I am afraid they're still missing," Bagchi said.
To a question on the latest advisory by the Indian embassy in Ukraine asking Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to and within that country, Bagchi said it was issued in view of heightened sense of risk. "We are trying to ascertain how many Indians are there including some students who have gone back. I do not have a number to share with you...Our embassy is trying to contact (them). We are trying to build a database..," he said.
The advisory was issued on Monday following intensification of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow carried out retaliatory missile strikes targeting various Ukrainian cities in response to a huge blast in Crimea last Saturday.
Want normal relations with Pakistan
"We want normal relations with Pakistan, is a statement that we have always said. But it has to be in a conducive atmosphere and free from terrorism," Bagchi said while responding to a question on Pakistan-India relationship. His attention was drawn to the Minister of State of MEA Meenakshi Lekhi hitting out at Pakistan for raking up the Kashmir issue at the CICA summit
"You would have seen the statement by MoS Meenakshi Lekhi who went as Special Envoy of PM. We had made her intervention public. I am unable to comment anything beyond that because we have made clear our position on terrorism emanating from Pakistan," Bagchi said.
