YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa Returns Home Safely

YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa, who was reportedly abducted on August 15, has been safely returned home, his lawyers confirmed early Monday. The development follows a Lahore High Court (LHC) order requiring the Lahore police to recover Khosa by August 20.

The abduction case garnered significant attention after Khosa’s wife, Binish Iqbal, filed a petition with the court alleging that her husband was held “unlawfully and illegally” by law enforcement authorities. Iqbal expressed grave concern for her husband’s safety, citing fears that he had become a victim of enforced disappearance.

In her petition, Iqbal described Khosa as a “digital content creator, a writer, and a dignified comedian/artist” with a substantial YouTube following of 137,000 subscribers. She detailed that, in the early hours of August 15, approximately a dozen police officers and individuals with masked faces had forcibly entered their apartment, breaking down the entrance door. These men, who were heavily armed, confiscated Khosa’s phone, laptop, computer system, and digital camera.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed alarm over Khosa’s abduction, raising concerns that it might be linked to his work as a satirist. The HRCP called for his immediate release, highlighting the growing issue of enforced disappearances in the country.

The situation took a positive turn late Monday night when Khosa’s lawyer, Khadija Siddiqi, announced via X (formerly Twitter) that Khosa had been released and safely returned home. Siddiqi posted, “Alhamdulillah, Aun Ali Khosa has been released! He has reached home!”

Khosa’s lawyers

Mian Ali Ashfaq, another of Khosa’s lawyers, also confirmed his safe return, stating on X that Khosa was in good spirits. “Alhamdulillah, he is courageous, safe, and determined,” Ashfaq remarked, expressing gratitude to Siddiqi for her support. He added, “May Allah bless him and his family every step of the way.”

In a follow-up post, Siddiqi criticized the repeated incidents of abductions, describing a troubling pattern. “Over the last two months, we have fought numerous missing persons cases, including Aun Ali’s, at the Lahore High Court,” Siddiqi noted. She criticized the methods used by the abductors, emphasizing the similarity in their approach: “They come in the dark of the night, break down doors, and take away mobile phones and laptops, often removing CCTV cameras. They harass the victim and then return them only when ordered by the court.”

Siddiqi expressed hope that these practices would end and urged for legal action against those who violate the law. “If someone has violated the law, they should be brought to court and prosecuted,” she asserted.

The return of Aun Ali Khosa brings relief to his family, supporters, and the broader community, while also shedding light on the broader issue of enforced disappearances and the need for justice and accountability in such cases.