JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 12, 2017
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD – Immigration authorities in Myanmar detained and deported Pakistani journalists Aamir Liaquat and Waqar Zaka last week after they were unable to explain their reason for visiting the country.
Myanmar Times reported Monday the two were sent back on Thai Airways flight TG 303 to Bangkok. Both have since returned to Pakistan.
The paper quoted Immigration Officer U Myint Zaw who questioned them on arrival at Yangon International Airport. “I asked them some basic questions because they came in on tourist visas, not as media organizations.’’
The officer pointed out that they had equipment for reporting, such as a camera, tripod, and others but said they were just in Myanmar for a visit.
“I decided to check them carefully because one of them was a famous TV presenter in Pakistan. We got information that they would try to come in using a United Nations visa to report on the Rakhine conflict, but their visa was not what I was informed,” the immigration officer said.
According to his Twitter account, he and Waqar Zaka, another TV anchorperson, came to Myanmar with a UN visa to cover atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims.
The paper said the airport police confirmed the two came in on tourist visas and had no contact person in Myanmar to translate.
“We did everything according to Myanmar immigration law,’’ the paper quoted a spokesperson for the airport police force as saying.
Liaquat hosts the program Aisay Nahin Chalay Ga on BOL News while Zaka is also a television host.
Meanwhile, Liaquat in his show aired Monday disclosed details of their unsuccessful trip. He revealed he teamed up with Zaka because he had been to Myanmar before but had entered illegally.
He said he was asked by immigration “Are you a tourist?
“I said I am not a tourist but a journalist.”
“Why do you want to enter Myanmar?”
“I told them there were various reports coming out in the world media about what’s going on in Myanmar and I want to tell the world the facts.”
The officer then “opened my Twitter handle on his cell phone and showed it to me. The tweets show you are here to help Rohingya Muslims, who are terrorists.”
“I am not here to help them but to report facts,” Liaquat told the officer.
“He then took my passport and told me that I was a former federal minister, that I work for BOL and had done programs on Rohingya Muslims and I was against Aung San Suu Kyi.”
Liaquat said on his show they were pushed and shoved into the plane and their passports not given to them. “We were told we would get them back in Bangkok.
On arrival in Bangkok, police detained them and they were questioned and asked to leave the country within 24 hours. Since their return ticket was for September 15, they had to buy new ones and return home.
April 30, 2025: Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.
April 30, 2025: Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.
April 28, 2025: India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.
April 23, 2025: Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.
April 21, 2025: After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.
April 21, 2025: Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.
April 20, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 22, 2025 Once a beacon of hope for Pakistan's cricket revival, the Pakistan Super League now grapples with stagnation and moral compromises. Can this cultural symbol reclaim its lost soul?
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.