Locating Missing Friend From Abroad

April 14, 2021 1:21 AM

A friend of mine has gone missing in Pakistan at some point in the past nine months. They are Pakistani, and all attempts to contact them and their family have received no response. What are my options for achieving this from outside the country, and with no other connection to Pakistan? Would a private investigator be able to assist? I am happy to spend some money on this.

My goal is to confirm if they have passed away in the past year, and if not to let them know that they are missed (but to respect their boundaries if they don't want to resume contact).

We have tried both electronic and physical letters. (We in this case consists of myself and our mutual friends, some of who are from Pakistan.)

I understand my friend is a member of marginalized groups that means that they may be at risk of violence, but also of complications if they caught COVID-19. If they are alive I don't want to accidentally put them at further risk.

posted by Braeburn to Human Relations (2 answers total)

You could try through the Red Cross Person Finder.

It is for family members, however they, i assume will be able to point you in the right direction how to trace non family members.
posted by 15L06 at 6:52 AM on April 14, 2021

If you yourself are in the UK and your friend is potentially at risk of honour-based abuse, Karma Nirvana is a wonderful charity that may be able to help. Calling their helpline would be my first step.
posted by guessthis at 10:12 AM on April 14, 2021