Geo News journalist picked up from residence in Karachi's Model Colony
June 06, 2023
- 2 police vans and double-cabin vehicles came to pick Anjum, area residents say.
- Police and plainclothes personnel entered home at gunpoint, Anjum's brother says.
- Personnel also took away DVR of CCTV camera in neighbourhood.
Geo News producer Zubair Anjum was picked up by police officers from his residence in Karachi's Model Colony area, his family confirmed on Tuesday.
According to residents of Anjum's neighbourhood, two police vans and double-cabin vehicles arrived at his house near the Model Colony intersection and took him away.
The producer's brother, Wajahat Anjum, said police and plainclothes personnel entered their home wielding firearms, while family members were also manhandled during the episode. The motive behind the arrest, however, remains unknown.
“They asked for Zubair bhai and took him away at gunpoint. They also took along his mobile phone,” he said, explaining the incident.
He also mentioned that the personnel also took away the digital video recorder (DVR) of the CCTV installed in Anjum’s neighbourhood.
Detailing the incident with reporters, Anjum's brother said: “The police did not give any reason for the arrest. They did not even let him wear his slippers. We repeatedly kept asking what the matter was.”
He added that some personnel were in uniform and others were masked, except for one. “They all had TT pistols in their hands,” Wajahat said.
Missing case has been registered at the Model Colony Police Station.
Meanwhile, the Korangi senior superintendent of police said his force had no information about Zubair Anjum’s arrest. He added that no police station or unit has reported taking the media person into custody.
“Police from stations in the Korangi district have not arrested Anjum. We are investigating the incident,” he said, adding that details are being taken from Anjum’s brother.
Governor reacts to journalist's arrest
Reacting to Anjum’s arrest, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said he has been looking into the case since last night.
He added that the police has not arrested the journalist and asked law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter. “Such arrests should be stopped now,” he added.
Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s mayoral candidate in Karachi, also demanded the Geo News producer’s immediate release.
Commission for the Protection of Journalists and other Media Practitioners (CPJMP) has summoned an emergency meeting at the request of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ).
Meanwhile, the Karachi Press Club has also demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Inspector-General of Sindh Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon take notice of Anjum’s ordeal.
'Wrongfully detained'
Pakistan Federation Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President GM Jamali and Secretary General Rana Azeem also condemned the incident.
“If someone has done something illegal, the government must obey the law of the land. He must be charged and dealt with legitimately, but any media person who is wrongfully detained will not be authorised, and we condemn such incidents of missing media persons,” they said in a statement.
