YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa, who had been reported missing earlier this month, has been safely returned home after significant legal and public pressure.
The case has sparked widespread concern over enforced disappearances and unlawful detentions.
Khosa, who went missing on August 15, was confirmed safe by his lawyer. Last Friday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the Punjab Police to secure Khosa’s recovery by August 20, following a petition from his wife, Binish Iqbal. She claimed that her husband was being unlawfully detained by law enforcement.
Binish had voiced serious worries about Khosa’s safety, fearing he was a victim of enforced disappearance.
The petition detailed that Khosa, a well-known digital content creator with 137,000 YouTube subscribers, was seized from his apartment early on August 15 by police officers and unidentified individuals in plain clothes, who took his phone, laptop, computer system, and digital camera.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed alarm over Khosa’s alleged abduction, suggesting it might be linked to his critical videos about the authorities. The HRCP called for his prompt release.
On Monday, shortly after midnight, Khosa’s lawyer, Khadija Siddiqi, announced on X that he had been released and was back home. Another lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, confirmed Khosa’s safe return and reported that he had spoken with him.
“Alhamdulillah, he is safe, courageous, and determined,” Ashfaq said, thanking Siddiqi for her support.
Siddiqi condemned the ongoing pattern of abductions, noting similar cases handled by the LHC recently.
She criticized the practice of masked individuals breaking into homes at night, confiscating electronic devices, and harassing victims before their release following court intervention. She called for legal action against those responsible for such breaches.