Missing GNN journalist found in Swabi after four days

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 9 June 2026 |  JP Staff Report

GNN journalist Yasir Ayaz Khan, reported missing from Islamabad on June 5, was found in Swabi after four days and handed over to the police. PFUJ said he called his father from an unknown number, was brought to Mansoori police post, and had speech difficulty.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Journalist Yasir Ayaz Khan of private television channel GNN, who had been reported missing in Islamabad, has been located in Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and handed over to police for return to the federal capital.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt announced Tuesday that Khan had reappeared in public after being missing since June 5. According to Butt, the journalist contacted his father from an unknown telephone number and informed him that he was in the Barah Qai area of Swabi.

Journalist located in Swabi

Following the call, GNN Bureau Chief Mian Shahid and crime reporter Usman Butt traveled to Swabi to verify the information and assist in efforts to recover the journalist.

According to details shared by PFUJ, residents later brought Khan to the nearby Mansoori police post. Yasir reportedly told those present that "unknown individuals left me here and went away."

Afzal Butt said the journalist appeared to be having difficulty speaking when he recovered. No official explanation has yet been provided regarding the circumstances of his disappearance or how he arrived in Swabi.

Questions remain unanswered

Swabi City Police subsequently handed Khan over to Islamabad Police officials, who departed with him for Islamabad. Authorities have not publicly disclosed whether he has provided a statement regarding the events leading up to his disappearance.

Khan went missing on June 5 from the jurisdiction of Islamabad's Aabpara Police Station. His disappearance prompted concern among journalists, colleagues, and press freedom advocates, with GNN filing a formal application seeking police assistance in locating him.

In its earlier appeal, the broadcaster said repeated attempts by family members and colleagues to contact Khan had failed, raising fears for his safety. A senior GNN official had told BBC Urdu that Islamabad Police were investigating the case and had contacted Khan's family in Mansehra district as part of the inquiry.

The media community awaits answers

The journalist's recovery has brought relief to his family and colleagues. However, significant questions remain unanswered regarding the circumstances of his disappearance, the identity of the individuals he referred to, and whether any criminal investigation will follow.

As of Tuesday evening, neither Islamabad Police nor other authorities had publicly released further details about the case.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The recovery of a missing journalist is significant for Pakistan's media community, where concerns about journalist safety and accountability in disappearance cases remain persistent. Media organizations and press freedom groups will likely seek greater clarity about the circumstances surrounding Khan's disappearance, making the official response and any subsequent investigation closely watched developments.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available statements from PFUJ President Afzal Butt (June 9, 2026), GNN Television information, and previous reporting by BBC Urdu on June 6, 2026.

PHOTO: Yasir Ayaz Khan (via Facebook)