FIA arrests journalists following complaint by Rameeza Nizami

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 May 2019

The FIA has arrested several journalists, including Khawaja Farrukh Saeed, following a complaint from media executive Rameeza Nizami. This move has drawn significant condemnation from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, which is demanding their immediate release.

Summary

LAHORE – The Cybercrime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday arrested a few journalists including Khawaja Farrukh Saeed, and Naveed Latif, President of Nawa-i-Waqt Workers Union on a complaint by the media group boss Rameeza Majid Nizami.

The arrests prompted condemnation from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) which demanded their immediate release.

Saeed, a former chief reporter at the paper, was at the forefront of a fight for wages and dues of Nawa-i-Waqt employees.

According to reports, the FIA also arrested Abdul Wajid and Muhammad Naeem.

In her complaint, Rameeza alleged that several persons including Khawaja Farrukh Saeed had circulated her pictures on WhatsApp, Facebook and the website sahafe.com without her permission in a malicious, derogatory and harassing manner. She pointed out that it posed a threat to her safety.

PFUJ President G.M.Jamali and Secretary-General Rana Muhammad Azeem said that demanding wages was not a crime.

They called on Arshad Ansari, President of Lahore Press Club and Chairman of the Action Committee to convene a meeting and chalk out a course of action over the arrests.

President Punjab Union of Journalists, Shahzad Hussain Butt, and Secretary Ashraf Majeed also condemned the action and demanded a befitting response.

The union leaders (pictured) later visited the FIA Cybercrime Wing to show their support for their colleagues in distress.