ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of a former official of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) who went missing on Friday. The man had been suspected of inciting people to violence against the government.

Khalid Khawaja, who is also a coordinator of the Defence of Human Rights Council (DHRC), was allegedly involved in inciting girl students of the Madressah Hafsa to keep possession of a public library they had occupied in the capital last Sunday.

"He has been taken in custody for playing a 'negative' role during ulema-government indirect negotiations held to resolve the issue of demolition of unauthorised mosques in Islamabad," a senior government official, who did not want to be named, told Dawn.

The official said Mr Khawaja was acting as a coordinator between the government and ulema during the talks to resolve the confrontation over the mosque issue. He was also vigorously pursuing the case of missing people at different forums and was seen in all anti-government demonstrations held in Islamabad during the recent past.

He said the issue of mosque could be settled amicably if Khalid Khawaja would have played a 'positive' role.