In a deeply emotional turn of events, a man who was kidnapped as a toddler in 1992 from the Bari Imam area of Islamabad has finally returned home and reunited with his birth parents after 32 long years. Muhammad Asif, originally named Muhammad Siddiq, was only two years old when he was abducted. The reunion came as a result of growing awareness around missing persons on social media, led by the tireless efforts of social worker Waliullah Maroof.
Asif shared his heartfelt experience, saying, “I only ever had one wish, to one day meet my parents.” His journey toward that wish came true when a chance conversation at a goldsmith’s shop connected him to Maroof, who has been instrumental in reuniting separated families through online video appeals.
Following his abduction, Asif was taken to the village of Jhanoria near Sargodha, where his kidnappers changed his name and raised him in a different household. He recalls being taken by a woman who lived with her mother and three brothers. Another abducted boy, who became like an older brother to Asif, informed him that they had both been kidnapped. Over time, the residents of Jhanoria grew suspicious, noticing that the children bore no resemblance to their “family.” This suspicion eventually forced the abductors to leave the village.
“We were not even aware that we had been kidnapped,” Asif said. “But we felt abandoned. People around us kept telling us we were not part of that family.” Around the age of 9 or 10, he ran away and ended up back in Jhanoria, where a kind-hearted lawyer took him in, gave him shelter, and ensured that he received an education.
Though Asif didn’t excel academically, he became a skilled electrician, married in 2017, and even bought his own home. But the longing to find his biological parents never left. Sharing his wish at a jewelry shop became the turning point. That conversation led to his introduction to Maroof, who recorded and circulated his story online. The video eventually reached his real family, bringing about the long-awaited reunion.
A Story of Hope and Healing
This extraordinary case of a man who was kidnapped and finally returned home after three decades serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of never giving up. Maroof emphasized that many families have been successfully reunited through these digital platforms. For those still searching for loved ones, this story provides renewed hope that one day, their wait too may end.
The emotional homecoming not only fulfilled Asif’s childhood wish but also shed light on the enduring strength of familial bonds, even after years of separation.
