Pakistan Christians 'go missing'

Robin Ilyas works in Afghanistan

Three Pakistani Christians have gone missing from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area, their families say.

All three worked in Afghanistan and were returning home for Christmas. The families say they may have been taken by Taleban militants in the area.

The Pakistani foreign office has denied any knowledge of the incident.

The Christian community in north-west Pakistan received an anonymous letter last year asking them to convert within 10 days or face the consequences.

'Switched off'

Robin Ilyas, Victor Samuel and an unnamed person, all residents of Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, went missing after crossing the border at Torkham in Khyber tribal region on Friday, their families say.

"They were dropped at the border post by a car of Zurmat Construction Company where Robin works as a manager," Robin Ilyas's wife, Amy Ilyas, told the BBC.

Mrs Ilyas says she is waiting to hear from her husband

"They were to travel to Peshawar by road, and then take a flight to Karachi," she said.

"We have been calling their cell phones but they are switched off."

Mrs Ilyas said she had contacted the foreign ministry and informed them about the incident.

The foreign office spokesman, Mohammad Sadiq, told the BBC they did not have enough information about the disappearance of these nationals.

The Pakistan-Afghanistan border is a stronghold of local Taleban militants.

In May last year, Christians in north-west Pakistan sought government protection following threats of bomb attacks if they did not become Muslims.