Seven years after going missing from home, Masteeq Khalid was found among a crowd of beggars at Tahli Mohri Chowk in December 2023. His mother recognized him upon seeing a photograph, and during the recovery, he allegedly faced resistance and mistreatment, leading to the arrest of four suspects.
Rawalpindi (Web Desk) The case of Masteeq Khalid, a former Rawalpindi police officer who went missing for seven years, has emerged after he was recovered from an organized gang of beggars. Masteeq Khalid disappeared from home in 2016, and in December 2023, his mother, Shaheen Akhtar, recognized him among the beggars at Tahli Mohri Chowk.
According to details, Masteeq Khalid joined the police force in 2006 and got married the same year. However, after suffering from typhoid fever in 2010, his mental health began to deteriorate, and he was dismissed from service in 2011 due to prolonged absence from duty. Later, in 2016, he left home and did not return, leaving his family without any information about his well-being.
Shaheen Akhtar, Masteeq Khalid’s mother, is reported to be from Kallar Syedan, and she waited for her son’s return for seven years. In December 2023, a friend of Masteeq contacted Shaheen Akhtar and sent her a photograph in which Masteeq was seen with other beggars. Upon seeing the photo, she immediately recognized her son and went to Tahli Mohri Chowk with her nephew.
On December 19, after seven years, the mother and son reunited. However, when Shaheen Akhtar attempted to take Masteeq Khalid with her, members of the gang allegedly resisted and began to mistreat and assault her. Two individuals fled the scene, while one suspect was arrested later.
According to police, during the investigation, a person named Waqas emerged as the alleged leader of the gang, reportedly the real brother of two female suspects, Maryam and Sabira. A case was registered at the Civil Lines police station on behalf of Masteeq Khalid’s mother, naming a total of five individuals, while police arrested four suspects, including three women, and continued efforts to apprehend other suspects.
After Masteeq Khalid’s recovery, another concerning aspect of the case emerged. His mother alleged that her son was subjected to torture during captivity and was also given injections. The FIR included allegations that Masteeq Khalid was abducted and allegedly intentionally disabled to beg for alms.
Reports indicate that Masteeq Khalid was taken to Sindh after his abduction and was later brought back to Rawalpindi when his mental health deteriorated, where he was kept with a gang of beggars. However, the legal status of all these allegations remains to be determined through investigations and judicial proceedings.
Masteeq Khalid’s return home was an emotional moment for his children, who had been away from their father for seven years. His son and daughter finally saw their father again. On the other hand, a mother who had not lost hope for seven years of her son’s survival ultimately succeeded in recognizing him among a crowd of beggars.
The story of Masteeq Khalid is not just a tale of a missing person’s recovery but also raises questions about where a former police officer was for seven years, under what circumstances he lived, and what happened to him during that time. Available reports do not provide complete answers to all these questions; however, investigations into the alleged organized beggar gang’s role could reveal many hidden aspects of this incident.