Calgary police charge man accused of illegally fleeing Canada with his son
Investigators allege the man did extensive planning before following through on his plan, including purchasing property overseas, acquiring multiple passports and using forged documents.
On Dec. 3, 2023, police say, the man took his son, without his mother’s permission, and travelled from Calgary to Montreal, then on to Turkiye.
After arriving in Turkiye, he immediately cut off all communication with the boy’s mother.
Police say they spent the next two years attempting to locate the man in an attempt to reunite his son with his mother and siblings in Calgary.
Sgt. Scott Mizibrocky of the CPS Domestic Violence Team describes the investigation as very complex because the man appears to have moved frequently with the boy, including visiting or residing in Turkiye, Russia, Azerbaijan and Vanuatu.
Police say he also tried to create a new identity for his son.
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“We believe he did this solo, on his own. He had the resources to travel abroad and obtain numerous passports,” said Mizibrocky. “Obviously it’s going to be part of our investigation as we continue on, if he received assistance in Canada or overseas.”
Sgt. Scott Mizibrocky of the Calgary Police Domestic Violence Team, speaks to media at CPS headquarters on Tuesday.
Global News
Working in cooperation with the RCMP, Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Central Authority and Interpol, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) issued an international arrest warrant for the man.
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, the suspect and boy were spotted and detained by police at an airport in Mauritius.
“It was absolutely amazing, the support we received from Mauritius,” said Mizibrocky. “The Mauritius authorities, when the child and father entered through the international airport and were going through customs, we had the son flagged through Interpol. Interpol was called, and they notified the Mauritius authorities that the father was also wanted in Canada. Mauritius authorities agreed to hold the father until Calgary police could attend and take custody of him,” Mizibrocky added.
On Dec. 20, the boy’s mother arrived in Mauritius from Calgary and was reunited with her son for the first time in more than two years.
They returned to Calgary together the following day.
On Jan. 17, 2026, the accused, who police identify as 62-year-old Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman, was escorted by CPS officers back to Calgary where he was charged with one count of parental child abduction.
Police say Rahman was born in Pakistan but is a Canadian citizen who has practiced medicine in this country.
He has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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