Islamabad: Two Pakistani nationals have disappeared in Iraq and are suspected to have been abducted, prompting Islamabad to make frantic efforts today (Jul 25, 2004) to ascertain their whereabouts.

"We have learnt through our mission in Baghdad that two Pakistani men working for al-Tamimi group of industries have disappeared," Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said.

The missing persons have been identified as Raja Azad, a maintenance engineer and Sajjad Naeem, a driver working with the group. Both hailed from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, family members of Azad have been quoted as saying they received information that he has been abducted while travelling from Baghdad to Halla while on duty Friday (Jul 23, 2004).

The family members of both the missing persons have appealed to the Pakistan Government to make all efforts to locate them, media reports said in Islamabad.

The al-Tamimi group, a Kuwait-based company involved in construction business informed the Pakistani mission in Baghdad about their disappearance early yesterday (Jul 24, 2004), Khan said.

"As yet no one has contacted our mission in Baghdad or sent any message or demand to our Government, we are in touch with our mission to ascertain their whereabouts," he told PTV.

Last month, Amjad Hafeez, a driver working for American company was abducted by Iraqi militants. He was subsequently released despite threats to behead him following appeals from Pakistan's religious parties as well as the Government.