YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa, who was reportedly abducted on August 15, has returned home safely, according to his lawyer.
The confirmation came on Monday, just hours after the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the Lahore police to ensure Khosa’s recovery by August 20.
The court order followed a petition filed by Khosa’s wife, Binish Iqbal, who alleged that her husband was being held unlawfully by law enforcement authorities. She had raised serious concerns about his safety, suggesting he might be a victim of enforced disappearance.
Khosa, a popular digital content creator with 137,000 YouTube subscribers, was reportedly taken from his apartment in the early hours of August 15.
The petition described a scene where approximately a dozen police officers and unidentified individuals in plain clothes forcibly entered his residence. They confiscated his phone, laptop, computer system, and digital camera.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had expressed alarm over Khosa’s alleged abduction, linking it potentially to his work as a satirist. They called for his immediate release.
On Monday, just after midnight, Khosa’s lawyer, Khadija Siddiqi, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been released and was back home.
Another lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, confirmed Khosa’s safe return, stating that Khosa was “courageous, safe, and determined” and expressing gratitude for Siddiqi’s support.
Siddiqi condemned the recurring pattern of abductions, noting that such incidents have been common over the past two months, including Khosa’s case.
She described the abduction method as involving masked men breaking into homes, seizing electronics, and harassing victims before their release, typically following court intervention. Siddiqi urged for legal accountability and prosecution of those responsible for these violations.
