New Delhi: The two Sufi clerics from Delhi, who had gone missing in Pakistan, returned New Delhi on March 20.

On their arrival, Syed Asif Nizami, and Nazim Ali Nizami of Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah blamed a Pakistani newspaper for the whole chaos.

Pakistani newspaper Ummat had reported that the clerics worked for Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

On the basis of this report, the clerics said they were detained by a Pakistan’s law enforcement agency for questioning.

Nazim Ali Nizami, one of the clerics, rejected Pakistani media reports that they were in “interior Sindh where there was no communication network.”

“We did not have visa for Sindh interior region, so how could we have gone there? We come from the school of Sufi which teaches peace and brotherhood. There are good and bad elements and those who go against the teachings they have to suffer humiliation,” he told reporters, without elaborating

Nazim also said the Pakistan police asked them about their visa and other immigration details.

The sufi clerics are expected to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later in the day.

The duo received warm welcome at the Delhi airport.

Asif Nizami’s son Amir Nizami thanked the Indian government his father’s safe return.

“I would like to thank the Indian Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sushma Sawarj and Rajnath Singh. We are very happy that our government made their efforts in helping them to return,” Nizami told ANI.

The two clerics had gone to Lahore on March 8 but went missing following which India took up the issue with Islamabad. Asif’s visited Pakistan to see his sister in Karachi.

On March 18, Pakistan informed India that it had traced the clerics.

The External Affairs Minister had taken up the issue with Pakistan Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and requested him to trace the missing clerics.

She spoke to Asif Nizami and said they were safe.

According to Pakistani media reports, both clerics had been in “interior Sindh where there was no communication network” and that is why they could not inform their relatives about their whereabouts.

Earlier, Pakistani sources had said the two clerics were in the custody of Pakistan’s intelligence agency over their alleged links with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).