A reporter who released the footage of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Capt (r) Safdar’s arrest from his hotel room has been missing since last night.
Ali Imran Syed, a journalist based in Karachi, left his home between 7pm and 8pm after telling his family he would be back home in half an hour. He has not returned home since, said Geo News.
According to the wife of the reporter, his car was parked outside the house and he had left his mobile phone at home.
According to the report, the Geo News administration has approached the Karachi police over the disappearance of the journalist. The family had also submitted a report to Sachal police station, it added. However, Dawn quoted a police official saying that a case has yet to be registered.
Meanwhile, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident.
Reacting to the disappearance of the reporter, the human rights organisations have called upon the government to ensure the release of the journalist.
Amnesty International stated that Imran was “feared to have been subjected to an enforced disappearance for his reporting”. “The authorities must establish his whereabouts immediately,” the human rights group said.
The Human Rights Commission Pakistan also demanded “immediate release” the Geo News reporter.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also condemned the reporter’s disappearance. “I have heard that he has been picked up for allegedly sharing CCTV footage of [retired Captain Safdar’s arrest]. This is unfortunate,” she said while speaking to reporters in Lahore.
Safdar was arrested from his hotel room in the early hours of Monday from his hotel room for raising slogans at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and jumping over the grill surrounding the grave.
The Sindh government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had distanced itself from the matter soon after the arrest.
