Members of civil society hold a banner with pictures of missing rights activists, Waqas Goraya, Salman Haider (C), and Asim Saeed, during a demonstration.

Pakistani police and a family member say the university professor and rights activist who went missing early this month has returned home safely.

Senior police officer Ashraf Shah said on Saturday that Salman Haider returned home, on the outskirts of the capital, late Friday night and that he is safe and well.

Shah said Haider has not yet given a statement to police about his disappearance.

Haider and three other right activists – Waqas Goraya, Aasim Saeed, and Ahmad Raza Naseer – who ran social media accounts known for their liberal views went missing earlier this month.

Haider has written columns for a popular English-language newspaper and taught at the Fatima Jinnah Women’s University in the city of Rawalpindi, some 15km from capital Islamabad.

Fifth activist

A fifth activist, Samar Abbas, also disappeared a few days later. No group has claimed responsibility.

Haider’s brother Zeeshan also confirmed that his elder brother returned and is well.

Another police officer said the other missing men have also returned home.

The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

[vuukle]