Sunday 16 December 2007

The missing link: The Post plays Houdini

Islamabad A controversy over the disappearance of a vital story in regards to my father's kidnapping is brewing up. The link as mentioned in a previous post of Benazir showing support has been removed from the website of The Post newspaper.

The link comes up as a blank page while the original content can still be found in the Google cached page.

The page has surprisingly been removed from the website of the newspaper editorial. Some people have even mentioned that tickers underneath some news channels displayed information about Benazir's support in them.

How can a news segment of such great value be deleted indefinitely?

Ironic decisions

London My father has been missing for a day over a week now. The Government has assured us it is doing its best. A surgeon himself, he has been serving the regions of the north-western frontier of Pakistan for more than two decades now. Upon being told to go off to some other place in the country or to another country all-in-all, he refused and said that the Lord needed him there in that region.

His brief work as a Medical Superintendant at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Hyderabad didn't suffice his missionary work indeed and after serving a year at the hospital he went off to Bannu. The local tribes know him well and people across the land admire his spirituality and mission to serve the needy in the desolate lands.

It is upon this trust that the tribes find him a useful asset when it comes to medical attendance. The issue of his kidnapping being however sensitive is said to be kept low in profile. As if it's highlighted and pronounced more in the media, it would have severe consequences.

But, consider my irony. I live in London and have no way of learning where my father is and what he is being held for. No demands have been made by the captives as of yet which makes it even worse to gulp in. A strange hope has crawled into the angry void that my ignorance had left behind. I feel happy now that people responded in such a great and humble manner.

Saturday 15 December 2007

Thanks for your response

London I have received great responses from people all over. Some of the e-mails can be seen below.
Arun my friend. We’re so so sorry to hear of your news. Be assured we will pray, and we will pass this news back to our chch in the UK and on to some folks here too.

Let us see what our God will do, he is mighty to save.

Love and prayers
David and family
.. and ...
Hi Arun.

I'm so sorry to hear about this incidence. It's quite sad but let us trust God that HE is more than able to bring your father back.

We'll keep praying and I'm sure God will eventually bring a smile to the face of your family once more.

My greetings to your mum, the Good Lord will strengthen you all and see you through this trying period. He'll cause you to have a testimony from this.

God bless you.

Kind regards,
Fikayo

Update

Letters to The News has a letter from Rev. Ifrahim A. Matthew. Much appreciated.

Please leave your comments.

PRAYER REQUEST Please leave your comments on this entry when you read the blog. We would like you to pray for my father and keep the whole family in your prayers.

Friday 14 December 2007

The phone call

London The phone rang at 09:00 in the morning. The other end was my mother's voice. Calling from Pakistan, an aura of calm settled in. A calm that was in itself unsettling, like the one before a thunderous storm. In seconds, her voice croaked and she started crying.

"Beta," she said. "Your father's missing. Some men took him."

Worst was yet to come. She told me he hadn't been abducted just today but was missing since December 7th, 2007. For a week no one mentioned any such news to me and in moments I felt lost in the guilt of my own ignorance. Since then I have had a few people indicating links to news stories over the internet.