In a deeply emotional moment aired on Geo News’ programme Jirga, a man who was abducted at the age of two finally reunited with his parents after 32 years. The heartwarming scenes left many viewers in tears.
Speaking to host Saleem Safi, Muhammad Asif recounted his lifelong desire to see his real parents. “I only ever had one wish — to one day meet my parents,” he said.
The reunion was made possible through the efforts of social worker Waliullah Maroof, who explained during the programme that he regularly uploads videos of such missing persons cases on social media to help reconnect families. “In many cases, such videos result in successful reunions,” he said.
Safi opened the programme by saying it was a proud and joyful day for him. “Today’s Jirga is special because a son kidnapped 32 years ago met his parents right here in our office — it’s an honour.”
Asif had been abducted in 1992. His parents never gave up their search. They originally named him Muhammad Siddiq, but his kidnappers changed his name to Muhammad Asif. The abduction took place near Bari Imam, and his parents said that not a single day passed that they didn’t remember him.
Recounting the harrowing details, Asif revealed that he was kidnapped by a woman who had three brothers and a mother. He was later taken to a village near Sargodha called Jhanoria.
Another abducted boy, whom Asif described as like an elder brother, first told him they had been kidnapped.
Eventually, villagers in Jhanoria began to suspect something. “People said we didn’t look like our ‘family’ and suspected we were abducted. That’s when the family left the village,” Asif said.
He added: “We didn’t even know we were kidnapped. But we felt unloved and often heard from others that we were abducted. I later ran away to Jhanoria again, around age 9 or 10, and ended up in the care of a kind lawyer who raised me and sent me to school.”
Although uninterested in studies, Asif became an electrician, got married in 2017, and bought a home with his own savings.
His journey toward reunion began when, at a goldsmith’s shop, he met someone and shared his wish to find his parents. That person connected him to social worker Waliullah Maroof. “He asked me for details and eventually made the connection with my real parents,” Asif said.
The reunion not only brought closure to a 32-year search but also offered hope to many others still searching for loved ones.
