MYSTERY surrounding the whereabouts of deported asylum seeker Majid Ali has led to fears that he may have been killed on return to Pakistan.

The Glasgow student sought asylum in the UK in 2011 after his brother was "disappeared" by authorities in Pakistan. His uncle and cousin were also killed. Ali was an peaceful opponent of the Pakistan government.

Campaigners in Scotland last night feared he has met a similar fate after he was forced onto a military plane and deported.

Despite repeated attempts, none of his friends in Glasgow have been able to make contact with Ali and the use of a "non-commercial flight" late on Tuesday night has set "alarm bells ringing".

Human rights activist Gary Spedding, who has been working on Ali's case, told the Sunday Herald: "Majid was forced onto a non-civilian flight, which didn't appear on any departure list.

"He isn't a criminal, he doesn't have any convictions and he is not a security risk, there was no need to use this kind of flight.

"Friends of Majid have heard nothing from him and his phone number no longer rings when called.

"We think Majid has been detained by security forces upon arrival in Pakistan as he had agreed to email his lecturer to let us know he was safe, but he has failed to do so.

"The best case scenario is he's been detained in prison and is being questioned.

"The worst case scenario is he has been taken away, tortured and killed."

Spedding added: "We are all extremely worried about Majid and devastated that we have not heard from him.

"If he has been killed, we will take legal action against the Home Office. They made the decision to send him back to Pakistan.

"But, we're not giving up. We want to use this case to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else."

Two months ago, Ali's family home was allegedly raided by government forces, and his uncle and cousin were shot and killed.

Language student Ali claimed asylum in 2011, after telling the Home Office that officials in his home province of Balochistan enforced the "disappearance" of his brother.

A legal source claimed the use of a military plane to deport asylum seekers was "highly unusual" while Ali's supporters described the development as "worrying".

The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "There would be no real reason to use a military plane, there are regular commercial flights from the UK to Pakistan.

"Arriving in Pakistan on a military plane would have attracted real attention and I would expect the person to be detained by authorities and interviewed, which would be very dangerous for Majid."

The use of the military plane - which is usually reserved for the deportation of dangerous criminals - has set alarm bells ringing among Majid's friends and supporters.

Scotland's Minister for External Affairs and International Development, Humza Yousaf, wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May seeking "urgent clarification and assurances" about Ali's safety.

He said: "The asylum system in this country is inhumane and the decision to deport Majid Ali is deplorable and beyond understanding."

Meanwhile, Chris Stephens, the SNP MP for Glasgow South West, where Ali was living, branded the decision to deport him "barbaric".

Stephens said he was told by Ali's supporters, who were at Heathrow when he was deported, that the student was deported on a military plane.

He said: "As far as I am aware, there has been no contact made with Majid since he was deported on Tuesday evening.

"His friends are still to establish contact with him, which is very worrying. I don't think he should have been deported, that's my judgment.

"There was sufficient evidence, new evidence in fact, as some of Majid's relatives had been killed, and sufficient grounds to certainly delay deportation."

Stephens had sponsored a petition to halt the student's deportation, which was signed by 67 MPs, and had urged the Home Secretary to urgently review Ali's case.

He said the Home Office had rejected his request for an urgent review and he had met with Balochi activists at his Westminster office who said they believed Ali could be in danger if he went back to Pakistan.

Ali's constituency MP vowed to fight to bring him back to Scotland.

Stephen said the Home Office had also ignored his point of order on Tuesday asking for the home secretary, Theresa May, to make a statement.

He added that immigration minister James Brokenshire had not responded to his request for a meeting.

"It really brings home to me, as a newly elected MP, how barbaric the system is," Stephens said.

NUS Scotland president-elect Vonnie Sandlan said that the City of Glasgow College student's detention had happened very suddenly.

He was detained immediately after he went to the local Home Office to sign some papers on Friday.

She said: "He had his phone taken away and hasn't been in contact since.

"He never even got a chance to say goodbye to his friends and loved ones.

"We are extremely concerned for his wellbeing."

Before leaving for Scotland, Ali was a student activist in the troubled region, Balochistan, and his legal team had earlier claimed he believed his life would be in danger if he were to return.

Activists in the south-west region have demanded a larger share of the area's natural resources, and even full independence.

Several separatist groups are considered terrorist organisations by Pakistan. There is no suggestion Ali had any association with such groups.

Last week, more than 40 students staged a demonstration at the Scotland Office in Edinburgh and the hashtag #DontDeportMajid was trending on Twitter.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We do not comment on individual cases."