Sushma Swaraj meets missing youth's kin, assures his safe return from Pak

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday met the parents of a Mumbai youth Hamid Nehal Ansari, who has been missing for over three years and was recently found in the Pakistan Army's custody, and assured them of his safe return.

An emotional Fauzia Ansari, Hamid's mother, thanked Swaraj for efforts undertaken by the MEA to trace her missing son and said that his return would be possible only with help from both governments.

"She told me that she will bring back my son. Madam has assured us that she will make my son speak to me over phone...The government there (Pakistan) has accepted that he is in military custody. His return is possible only with the help from both governments. I am sure that hje will return because he is innocent," she told reporters here.

Hamid had gone to Kabul in search of a job and went to Pakistan to help a tribal girl who was being ill-treated.

Swaraj, however, said that Hamid would be brought back to India but time that it would take for his return was uncertain.

"We have asked for consular access and have asked them to assure his safety and security. Since his trial is in a military court, we cannot ascertain the time it would take (for his return)," she said.

Hamid's parents breathed a sigh of relief earlier this month after they found out that he was in Pakistan army's custody.

Pakistani authorities have admitted that Hamid, an MBA graduate from Rizvi College in Bandra, has been in the army's custody and facing trial in a military court.

According to reports, a divisional bench of the Peshawar High Court disposed off the case of Hamid Ansari after the government confirmed that he was currently in army custody and facing a trial in military courts.