In the wake of widespread unrest since the May 9 arrest of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, two journalists were allegedly abducted, with BOL News president and anchor Sami Abraham released by captors after one week, and journalist and YouTuber Imran Riaz Khan remaining missing for almost a month. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), in urging the Pakistani authorities to ensure Khan’s immediate release and allow all journalists to operate without fear of arrest or intimidation.
On May 24, local police confirmed the disappearance of BOL News president Sami Abraham, hours after Abraham’s brother filed a police complaint that the journalist had been abducted by eight people in four cars while returning to his Islamabad home. His driver was unharmed during the incident.
Abraham re-emerged on May 30, with his family and network verifying that he had been released by his captors. No group or organisation has claimed responsibility for his abduction, however, Abraham’s supporters and family have alleged the involvement of Pakistan’s security forces.
In a separate incident, BOL News editor and prominent YouTuber, Imran Riaz Khan, was arrested on May 11 by police officers at Sialkot International Airport in Pakistan’s Punjab province. According to his family, the journalist was attempting to flee to Oman after his Lahore home was raided the previous day. Since his arrest, Khan has been uncontactable.
Khan’s lawyer informed Dawn that consecutive directions by the Lahore High Court to produce the anchor have not been followed. Leadership from both law enforcement and the armed forces have continued to deny holding the journalist in custody.
Both journalists are widely perceived as being aligned with former prime minister Imran Khan, and his political party, Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Imran Riaz Khan has previously been arrested in July 2022 in Punjab for controversial ‘anti-national’ statements against the Pakistani army, and again in February 2023 for allegedly attempting to defame state institutions. In both instances, Khan was released after less than a week.
The PFUJ said: “President GM Jamali and Secretary General Rana Muhammad Azeem strongly condemn the arrest of journalists in Pakistan for criticism of government or security agencies. PFUJ has filed an appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan for the early release of Sami Ibrahim who is now back home, but Imran Riaz Khan is still missing. PFUJ consider it tantamount to curb freedom of speech and believes that no one should be on the missing list and should be produced before the court if any journalist is found guilty and be given a legal right of defence.”
The IFJ said: “The disappearances of journalists Imran Riaz Khan and Sami Abraham are greatly concerning, with the rule of law established under Pakistan’s constitution seemingly disregarded. The IFJ urges the Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation into the detention of Sami Ibrahim and obey the Lahore High Court’s directions to produce Imran Riaz Khan.”
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