The wife of a Christian hospital worker who disappeared after leaving work to meet a man linked to a long-running financial dispute has accused police of failing to conduct a prompt and effective investigation. More than two months later, the family remains without answers, while legal support is being provided to help secure Sajid Masih’s recovery and ensure the case is properly investigated.
FAISALABAD, Pakistan: More than two months after a Christian hospital worker disappeared in Faisalabad, his wife has accused police of failing to carry out a timely and effective investigation despite repeated complaints and information identifying the last person her husband intended to meet before he vanished.
Sajid Masih, a ward boy at Allied Hospital in Faisalabad, has been missing since 29 May 2026. His wife, Anita, says the family’s desperate search for answers has been met with delays, inaction and growing financial hardship as they continue to wait for news of his whereabouts.
According to Anita, Sajid left work on the afternoon of 29 May after telling her he was going to meet Muhammad Arif, a retired soldier and landlord, to discuss a long-running financial dispute between the two men. She says that was the last time she heard from her husband.
“Sajid told me he was going to meet Arif to settle the matter,” Anita said. “After that, his phone became unreachable, and he never returned home.”
According to Anita, the dispute stemmed from a loan of PKR 765,000 that the family had borrowed during a period of financial hardship.
She alleges that during the transaction, Muhammad Arif obtained Sajid’s signatures and thumb impressions on blank promissory notes. Anita claims those documents were later completed in a manner that falsely suggested Sajid owed PKR 2 million in connection with the alleged purchase of a piece of land.
She insists the original loan had already been repaid in instalments.
To facilitate those repayments, Sajid reportedly entrusted his cheque book to Arif, signing cheques only when each payment became due. However, Anita alleges that several unsigned blank cheques remained in Arif’s possession and were later used to pressure Sajid into making additional payments.
She says Sajid consistently refused, maintaining that he no longer owed any money.
According to Anita, Arif later contacted Sajid at Allied Hospital and invited him to his residence to resolve the dispute. Sajid left to attend the meeting but never returned.
Soon after Sajid’s disappearance, Anita reported the matter to police and later submitted a written application to the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) in Faisalabad, naming Muhammad Arif as the last known person her husband intended to meet.
She says Arif subsequently appeared before police in connection with the complaint. However, Anita alleges that investigators failed to take immediate and meaningful action.
Instead, she claims police instructed her to obtain CCTV footage from Allied Hospital herself rather than securing the evidence through their own investigative powers.
“I expected the authorities to trace Sajid’s movements, collect CCTV footage and question those involved immediately,” Anita said. “Instead, I felt that much of the burden was placed on me while valuable time was being lost.”
The family believes those delays may have hindered efforts to establish what happened to Sajid in the crucial hours following his disappearance.
After receiving what she describes as an inadequate response from police, Anita sought legal assistance and filed a petition before the court of an Additional Sessions Judge in Faisalabad, seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and further legal action regarding her husband’s disappearance.
The matter remains pending before the court, with the next hearing scheduled for 9 September 2026.
However, Anita says the financial burden of pursuing legal proceedings has become overwhelming. Since Sajid disappeared, the family has lost its primary source of income, leaving her struggling to support the household while continuing the search for her husband.
After being referred by a local pastor, Anita sought further assistance. Our team has remained in regular contact with her, offering free legal aid and working closely with the family to pursue all available legal remedies. The support includes assisting with the ongoing court proceedings, monitoring developments in the case and advocating for a thorough, impartial investigation aimed at locating Sajid and ensuring accountability if any criminal offence has been committed.
More than two months after Sajid disappeared, his family remains trapped between hope and uncertainty. Anita continues to appeal to the authorities to intensify efforts to locate her husband, saying that until his whereabouts are established, her family cannot begin to rebuild their lives.
