Senate takes notice of fifth missing social media rights activist

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 January 2017

The Senate has taken official notice of the disappearance of Samar Abbas, an activist from the Civil Progressive Alliance. This follows the recent disappearance of four other bloggers.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - The Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani took notice of the disappearance of another rights activist from Islamabad and directed the State Minister for Interior to brief the House on the issue in the next sitting, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) reported Thursday.

Samar Abbas, a middle-aged IT worker and head of the anti-militancy Civil Progressive Alliance, disappeared under mysterious circumstances after arriving in Islamabad from Karachi on January 7.

Four leftist bloggers were previously reported missing from various cities between January 4 and 7.

KEY POINTS:

• Samar Abbas, head of the Civil Progressive Alliance, went missing on January 7 in Islamabad.
• The Senate Chairman has called for a briefing from the State Minister for Interior.
• Four other leftist bloggers were reported missing between January 4 and 7.
• The issue raises concerns about the safety of social media rights activists in Pakistan.
• FAFEN reported on the Senate's actions regarding these disappearances.