Nepal police ‘unable to trace’ ex-Pakistani military official

KHATMANDO: A Pakistani military officer, who is reportedly kidnapped by Indian agencies from Nepal's Lumbini area, has not been traced and the local police have said that there was no progress in this case.

Talking to BBC Urdu, a senior Nepali police official, SSP Dipak Thapa said that the CCTV footage available with the authorities show the officer being received by an unknown person at the Gautam Buddha Airport, which is also known as Bhairahawa Airport.

Record shows that Lt Col Muhammad Habib Zahir arrived in Kathmandu on 6th April, 2017 and the same day he left Kathmandu airport for Lumbini by Buddah Air. At 1300 on 6th April, 2017 he sent a message from his cell to his wife that he has landed at Lumbini, municipality 5kms away from the Indian border safely. Since then, his cell numbers (Nepal and Pakistan) are switched off and no trace of him has been found.

We can confirm that the officer reached the Bhairahawa Airport and was received by an unidentified person at the exit gate, Thapa said. 'He was carrying a backpack as well. The police have shown the footage to the taxi drivers and other transport operators and are trying to ascertain the identity of the person.’

Pakistan informed the Nepal foreign ministry about the officer, who, according to an Indian newspaper was one of the team members arrested RAW agent Kulbhushan Jhadav from Balochistan.

A spokesperson of Nepal's Interior Ministry said that they are unaware of the reason behind Col Habib's visit to Lambini and that there was no reservation in any of the hotel in the area.

Kulbhushan link

All evidence is available with the officer’s family and security agencies here regarding how through an email Col Habib applied for the job, who called him from the UK inviting him to travel to Kathmandu for the interview, when and through which airlines he had travelled, what mobile numbers the retired officer was using and when did he got missing.

As against him, serving Indian naval officer Kulbhushan was given a new identity by RAW, issued a fresh passport with the name of Mubarak Hussain Patel and stationed in Iran to work against Pakistan. Yadav was caught while operating in Balochistan in the first week of March last year but till the announcement coming from Pakistan by end March, no one including the Indian government or his family spoke about him from India.

Lt Col (retd) Habib’s family reacted immediately and raised their apprehensions about his possible kidnapping by India from Nepal as soon as their contact with Habib was cut off. The matter was also reported to the police here.

According to the available information, Lt Col Habib served in the artillery, had retired from service on 31 Oct, 2014 and was employed in Rafhan Mills at Faisalabad. Just over a few months ago, he reportedly posted his CV on LinkedIn and a United Nations website. In response to his CV a month ago, a person named Mr Mark Thomson from UK cell number 00447451203722 contacted him through this email: career@stratsoluotions.biz (Website is hosted in India) and on cellphone as well, stating that he has been shortlisted for the job of the Vice President/Zonal Director. The record of the email conversation is also available with the family and law enforcement agencies.

Mr Habib was offered salary package of US$3,500-8,500 per month and was asked to visit Kathmandu, Nepal, for the interview on 6 April, 2017. He was sent a business class ticket from Lahore-Oman-Kathmandu by Oman Airlines. Travel records show that the officer traveled to Oman by flight number WY344 on 5 April. One Javed Ansari received Lt Col Muhammad Habib at Oman and handed him over Nepal Cell no 009779813848689.

Pakistani authorities found that www.stratsolutions.biz is hosted in India with the name of Big-Rock and protection to the website was given by Privacy Protect Australia. Presently, the website has been closed and no data is available. Their twitter account is also closed now whereas the UK cell no 00447451203722 of ‘Mr Thomposon’ has been identified as a fake, rather is an internet/computer generated number. It was being used on telephone calling VOIP application.

As against this clear case of entrapment and kidnapping, Kulbhushan was a great embarrassment for India. The ISPR, on Monday announced the confirmation of death sentence of this RAW agent for his involvement in espionage and terrorism activities against Pakistan.

The Indian spy was tried through the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) and he was awarded death sentence under the Pakistan Army Act. Kulbhushan had confessed before the magistrate and the court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage/sabotage activities aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan and by impeding the efforts of law enforcement agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.

Indians are usually known for disowning their cover agents, however, in the case of Kulbhushan Jhadav New Delhli is extra-sensitive. But it is interesting to note that there is no voice being raised by Kulbhushan's family.

Pakistani security officials believe that in view of this huge embarrassment, now the Indians are desperate to level the score with manifold purposes. In utter desperation, the Indians have got trapped Lt Col (retd) Habib but left behind loads of evidence exposing India’s own work.