Channel 24 journalist Saba Bajeer harassed, mistreated by FIA officials

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 July 2017 |  JP Staff Reporter

Saba Bajeer, a reporter for Channel 24, was harassed and mistreated by FIA officials while covering an arrest at a hospital. Her colleagues condemned the incident and demanded legal action.

Summary

ISLAMABAD –Saba Bajeer, a reporter with Channel 24, was Friday manhandled, threatened, and harassed by officials of Federal Investigation Agency and family members of SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Her colleagues said she had gone there to report on Hijazi, brought to the hospital after being arrested earlier in the day by FIA for tampering with records of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s companies.

Introducing herself, Saba took some pictures with her mobile phone. But the FIA officials told her to delete the photos. Although she trashed the images, one official tried to snatch her cell phone, yelled and manhandled her.

She was forced to tender a written apology and threatened with dire consequences. Later, she was kept confined to the hospital room.

Saba’s colleagues and other journalists reached the hospital after receiving a phone call from her.

More ugly scenes followed as the FIA officials and Hijazi’s family members beat up senior Channel 24 journalist Irfan Malik. They also broke three cameras.

The journalists later protested at the hospital. They called for action against the FIA officials and others involved. A FIR was not registered at the time of filing this report.

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) condemned the incident and called for legal action against the FIA officials.