Journalist Imran Riaz Khan’s arrest raises question over Punjab govt’s fascist approach
Imran Riaz Khan, who is a critic of the coalition government, has been arrested from Islamabad Toll Plaza late on Tuesday despite he had secured a pre-arrest bail in a case.
ISLAMABAD: Senior journalist and anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, who is a critic of the coalition government, has been arrested from Islamabad Toll Plaza late on Tuesday despite he had secured a pre-arrest bail in a case.
Imran Riaz, who is currently associated with Express News, has been implicated in a slew of cases which he says were motivated by his refusal to “stop speaking the truth”. Of late, over a dozen FIRs have been registered against him on charges as serious as abetment of mutiny and criticism of the state institutions, the private news channel reported.
Police also seized Khan’s mobile phone and wallet.
In a video of his arrest, which went viral on social media, over a dozen policemen of Punjab Police can be seen surrounding his car. Reportedly, he was arrested in a case lodged at the Attock police station and was taken to the same district.
In the video, Riaz can be heard saying that he was coming to the federal capital to get bail from the Islamabad High Court (IHC). “I don’t think this [arrest] makes any difference.. I am requesting all journalists to raise your voice and continue performing your duties,” he said, adding that the arrest was a clear contempt of court.
“This is Islamabad’s jurisdiction where I am being arrested because Toll Plaza starts from here. Justice Athar Minallah [Chief Justice Islamabad High Court] has also granted me bail so in this situation this arrest is wrong. I have to appear in his court to get bail in the morning,” the journalist could be heard as saying in the video.
“It makes no difference whether they imprison me or kill me or whatever they do… I think we should continue performing our duties… I am requesting all journalists to raise your voice and keep doing your jobs.
“I am going to give arrest with courage… will see what happens next… my car and weapons have been snatched [by authorities] and 20 FIRs were registered against me.”
Punjab Law Minister Malik Ahmad confirmed the development but said that Imran Riaz was arrested in the limits of Rawalpindi division as cases against him were registered in Punjab. “The impression that the arrest was made in Islamabad is wrong,” he added.
The latest arrest of a senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan, arrests of Haleem Adil Shaikh from Lahore and attack on journalist Ayaz Amir raised serious questions over the performance and facism of the Punjab govt.
