Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 2013-10-07

A South African businessman Arshad Ali who was detained by intelligence authorities in Pakistan last month has finally been allowed to return home.

His wife Emel Ali and her family gathered at OR Tambo International Airport. She spent almost a month waiting for her husband Arshad to return.

Ali, who is also chairperson for the African National Congress (ANC) in Meyerton and a former resident in Toba Tak Singh in Pakistan, was visiting his family when he was detained during a roadblock in Lahore en-route to Johannesburg in September.

His family pleaded with South African and Pakistani authorities for help, but they were not allowed any contact with him and its still remains unclear why he was detained.

Now that he's safe Ali said that he still doesn't know why he was arrested in the first place. "When they arrest me, not arrest me…they hijacked me actually they put a cover (over my head)…into the van," said Ali.

Fifteen or twenty minutes later, they drove and put me into the room. When I saw, it was just one room," added Ali.

The Pakistani born Ali spent days locked in the room and fed twice a day.

His release was as bizarre as his detention. Last week he was dropped off in a deserted street in Lahore and told to make his own transport arrangements.

Ali and his family area now demanding answers. They want both the South African and Pakistani government to explain why he was detained for almost a month without legal representation and denied contact with his family. – eNCA