Zubair Anjum is the third senior journalist to have been ‘abducted’ from his home after Imran Riaz Khan and Sami Abraham. (Image: Shutterstock/Representative)
This is the third case of a journalist being allegedly harassed by state authorities. One senior journalist still remains missing.
Journalist Zubair Anjum who is an executive producer with famed Pakistan-based news outlet GeoNews returned home early Wednesday morning after he was allegedly picked up by plainclothes men accompanied by cops early Tuesday morning. The channel announced the development to its viewers and subscribers on Wednesday morning.
Saadat Ali, Anjum’s brother, said two police mobiles and a double-cabin pickup arrived at around 1am (local time) Tuesday and picked him up from his Model Colony home, the Dawn said in a separate report.
The disappearance and return of Zubair Anjum is similar to the disappearances and returns of human rights activist Jibran Nasir and fellow journalist Sami Abraham, who have similar stories to tell.
Sami Abraham was abducted on May 25 and returned on May 30. Abraham was perceived to be pro-Imran Khan and was vocal against the arrests and clampdown on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), following the May 9 clashes.
On May 9, PTI cadres ransacked Pakistan Army setups and installations and participated in arson and vandalism of public property to protest the courtroom arrest of Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Jibran Nasir, activist, was also abducted by plainclothes men from the port city of Karachi, in front of his wife, famed actor Mansa Pasha, on June 1. He also returned home next day but has remained tight-lipped regarding whose custody he was in.
Anjum’s brother told the Dawn that ‘armed men’ entered his residence and harassed the family members before taking the journalist away. They confiscated his cell phone and a digital video recorder from a neighbouring home.
Police told the Dawn that they were not involved in the case and a police official from Korangi, Tariq Nawaz, said the journalists were not in their custody.
Journalist’s bodies have urged the prime minister, interior minister, foreign minister, Sindh chief minister and IG police to take immediate notice, the Dawn said.
The Karachi Press Club accused the government of ‘state terrorism’ and accused them of taking the media ‘hostage’, while imposing restrictions on freedom of expression.
Another senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan is still missing and his whereabouts remain unknown since his arrest on May 11. The authorities informed Lahore High Court (LHC) that he was arrested and kept in Sialkot prison and he was released later but cannot confirm where he is currently.
