Sabir Shakir receives death threats amid treason charges

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 15 June 2023

Sabir Shakir, a journalist currently outside Pakistan, has reported receiving death threats related to treason charges against him. He claims the charges are false and cites direct threats from former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Sabir Shakir, one of the journalists outside Pakistan facing treason charges, has said he has been receiving death threats since April 2022. “Only a few days back I have received a message asking to be quiet, otherwise you will be killed,” Sabir said in a tweet in Urdu. He termed the treason case against him false and baseless.

He claimed that the former Army Chief, Gen. (Retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, directly called him and threatened him. “Since then I am living outside Pakistan.”

Sabir said whenever the current tenure fascism ends, and the judiciary is independent, he would tell everybody how he has suffered. However, he hoped that the current military leadership would address this issue and end the policy of the former army chief of personal revenge. The journalist, who worked for ARY News, said the most painful thing for him is living outside Pakistan, away from his parents and family.

KEY POINTS:

• Sabir Shakir faces treason charges while living outside Pakistan.
• He has received death threats asking him to remain silent.
• The journalist deems the treason case against him as baseless.
• He alleges direct threats from former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
• Shakir hopes for justice and an independent judiciary in the future.