S.K. Chand Pasha, 32, an Indian national working as a house driver, has disappeared mysteriously. For the past three months there has been absolutely no information on his whereabouts. The father of a three-year-old child, Pasha arrived in Riyadh two years ago and since then has been working as a house driver. After losing contact with her husband for three months, Pasha's wife has been frantically calling people to learn of her husband's whereabouts, Hussain, who used to be Pasha's neighbor said. He said that two of Pasha's mobile numbers on Sawa and Mobily have been switched off. “We tried our best to reach him over the phone but to no avail, as both numbers are inaccessible,” he said. Hussain said Pasha once called his wife using a grocery storekeeper's mobile telephone when he first arrived in Riyadh. His wife must have saved that number as she is now calling it desperately to learn any information about Pasha, said Hussain. Pasha worked for a year with a woman sponsor. And after his sponsor informed him that his services were no longer needed, Pasha asked for a release letter so that he could work somewhere else. The sponsor agreed and Pasha left her and worked for another year with a different sponsor. Hussain said he used to see Pasha everyday in the mosque at prayer time. Pasha never appeared to be disturbed or talked of any hardship, Hussain said. Pasha was constantly thinking of finding a new employer and asking for the transfer of his sponsorship. “One day Pasha called to inform me that he had enough money to pay for the transfer of his sponsorship,” Hussain said, adding that Pasha said that he would seek his help in transferring the sponsorship, but he never turned up. This was more than two months ago. Khasim Ahmed, a member of Jamiat-ul-Falah, a social organization, said he has posted notices on a number of places about the missing driver. He said his organization has also sent a letter to the Indian Embassy to inform the authorities. “Pasha's wife and other family members are deeply worried about the sudden loss of contact,” he said. Ahmed said he has circulated personal details about Pasha among members of the Indian community seeking help in uncovering any details about Pasha. He said Pasha arrived in Riyadh on a driver's visa but he never received a driver's license. However, sources close to Pasha said that he was planning to apply for a Saudi driver's license. “Pasha's abrupt disappearance is very mysterious. Pasha was carrying his passport and Iqama. Our organization is also trying to establish contact with the sponsor for lodging a complaint with the police,” he said. Pasha was reluctantly working in a garage owned by his sponsor, Hussain said. Pasha had clearly told his sponsor that he was a driver and did not know how to do any other kind of work. “So, his sponsor did not force him to do any other job and agreed to release him,” he said. Pasha is a native of Raichur city in the southern state of Karnataka.
