Lahore’s law enforcement remains stumped five days after Canadian PhD candidate Hamza Ahmad Khan disappeared under suspicious circumstances. The researcher, in Pakistan since February 13 to advance his doctoral thesis, was last seen leaving his DHA accommodation via a ride-hailing app around 1-2 a.m. on February 19.
Friend Yusuf Rashid lodged the police complaint, detailing how Khan booked a cab and never returned. Rashid’s own efforts to locate him failed, leading to kidnapping suspicions and demands for immediate action against those responsible.
From the U.S., brother Awais Ahmad Khan paints a picture of obstruction at every turn. The family accessed CCTV from a drop-off point where Hamza left a passenger, capturing him departing toward home—yet he vanished en route. The cab trip was abruptly canceled mid-journey, and the company refuses details without official police request, which Awais claims hasn’t happened.
‘Police aren’t helping us,’ Awais charged, revealing intentions to seek Canadian diplomatic intervention and legal recourse through courts. SSP Investigation Mohammad Naveed acknowledged initial data collection from Rashid and the app provider but offered no updates on Khan’s location.
The Karachi-rooted family’s ordeal underscores systemic issues in handling missing persons cases involving foreigners. With parents anxiously awaiting news in Pakistan, the incident raises questions about ride-sharing regulations and police diligence in high-stakes probes. Authorities face mounting scrutiny to deliver answers before the trail goes cold.