According to the news in the Dawn newspaper, journalist Imran Riaz Khan is among those detained following the protests that broke out after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on 9 May.
Imran Riaz Khan, who was detained at Sialkot Airport on 11 May, has not been heard from since then.
The lawyer of the journalist’s family, Azhar Siddiq, told Al Jazeera television, criticizing the detention of Imran Riaz Khan, “There are no charges against Imran Riaz Khan across the country.” said.
In an interview with a foreign media organization, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Meryem Aurangzeb, pointed to the party of the former Prime Minister and said that Imran Riaz Khan is the spokesperson of a political party and that a distinction should be made between him and independent journalists.
On social media, many human rights activists and journalists shared against the Minister’s statements.
Matiullah Jan, a journalist in Islamabad, shared on Twitter that Aurangzeb’s statements were disappointing.
In the statements made by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Amnesty International’s South Asia Regional Office, the Pakistani government called for Imran Riaz Khan to be found.
Statement from authorities that “we don’t know where he is”
After Imran Riaz Khan’s detention, his family appealed to the court.
Lahore High Court ordered Punjab police to bring the journalist to court.
Punjab State Police Chief Osman Anvar said that the journalist was not in police custody.
Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir also denied that Imran Riaz Khan was in police custody and said they did not know where the journalist was.
he sleeps.