Fact-check: Journalist’s killing had no link to Imran Khan and his family

No evidence to support claim that journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting about ex-PM Imran Khan’s sister

Geo Fact-Check has found no evidence to support the claim that a journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting about former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister.

Claim

The allegation first began spreading on social media on September 25.

As per several Twitter users, a reporter, Abdullah Nizami, and his wife, Samina Ramzan, were shot dead on September 24 in Layyah, Punjab.

Multiple social media accounts claimed that the journalist was killed after he broke the news about Imran Khan’s sister, Uzma Bukhari, allegedly occupying hundreds of acres of land illegally.

Social media posts which claim that a journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting on former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister.
Social media posts which claim that a journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting on former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister.

Some accounts even insisted that the reporter was murdered to hide the corruption of the Khan family. While others called on the top court to take notice of the killing.

Social media posts which claim that a journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting on former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister.
Social media posts which claim that a journalist was killed in Punjab for reporting on former prime minister Imran Khan’s sister.

Fact

The First Information Report of the incident, available with Geo Fact Check, states that Nizami and his wife were gunned down by their brother-in-law, Muhammad Amir. There is no mention of the former prime minister or his sister.

As per the report, Amir was against his sister marrying Nizami of her own free will.

On the afternoon of September 24, the couple were driving to Multan when Amir took out a pistol and shot dead both his brother-in-law and his sister.

Geo Fact Check also reached out to the reporter’s brother, Abbas Nizami. He confirmed the police complaint. The brother told Geo Fact Check that Abdullah Nizami and Samina Ramzan had contracted a court marriage in 2018.

“His brother-in-law was not happy [with the marriage],” Nizami said, “He was killed by his brother. He wanted to take revenge.”

Nizami further added that he has read the posts circulating on social media about his brother, but there is no truth to them.

Geo Fact-Check has found no evidence to support any claims that link the former prime minister and his family to the killing.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that between 1992 and 2022, 96 journalists and media workers have been killed in Pakistan.


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