Family's Anguish Over Missing Canadian in Panama
The heartbroken family of a Canadian father who disappeared in Panama along with his two young children has launched a stinging criticism against the government for its perceived failure to adequately assist in the search. Ghussan Iqbal, from Ontario, Canada, vanished on May 21 with his seven-month-old son, Musa, and his two-year-old daughter, Nousaybah.
Authorities confirmed that Iqbal left his home without taking his phone, wallet, money, or any food. The situation took a tragic turn weeks later when the body of infant Musa was discovered in the nearby Changuinola River. To date, there has been no trace of Iqbal or his young daughter.
A Web of Suspicion and Slow-Moving Investigations
Iqbal had moved to Panama approximately a year prior with his wife, who is a native of the country. According to his family, his wife reported that he had 'run away' with the children and had been experiencing mental health difficulties. While the family acknowledged Iqbal had a history of mental health battles, they insisted he seemed to be doing well just two days before he disappeared.
Complicating the investigation, the family reported that Panamanian police initially advised them 'not to trust' the wife and her family. CTV News reported allegations that the woman may have had multiple identities and had misrepresented her education and ethnic background.
In a desperate attempt to find their loved ones, Iqbal's brother, Sulman, and his wife, Nagham Azzam Iqbal, travelled to Panama. After three weeks of fruitless searching, they returned to Canada and hired a lawyer to pressure authorities to continue the investigation.
Families Feel Abandoned by Canadian Authorities
The family's frustration is sharply directed at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), which they claim has provided subpar support. They described communication as being limited to slow-responding emails, a process they have now abandoned as useless.
Nagham stated that the department indicated the responsibility for finding Iqbal and his daughter lay solely with Panamanian authorities. This has left the family feeling abandoned. 'It's honestly very scary knowing that as a Canadian citizen you're basically out of luck if something happens to you abroad,' Sulman Iqbal added.
The family remains deeply suspicious of the official narrative, noting that baby Musa was found exactly where Iqbal's wife had suggested authorities look. They do not believe he simply ran away, pointing out his lack of wilderness experience. With the Panamanian investigation hampered by limited resources and a slow judicial process, the family is trapped in a nightmare of uncertainty, unable to grieve properly while clinging to hope.
'The reality is we may never really get the full story as to what happened to my brother and niece, but we're still holding out hope. We're not giving up until we hear otherwise,' the family affirmed.
In a written statement, Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is 'aware of the case involving a Canadian citizen and two minor children in Panama' and expressed that 'Canada is deeply saddened by the death of one of the minor children and our thoughts are with the family.'
