President of BOL News Sami Ibrahim arrested; crackdown on pro-PTI media continues
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 24 May 2023
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Sami Ibrahim, the president of BOL News, has been arrested in Islamabad as the crackdown on pro-PTI media intensifies. This situation highlights ongoing concerns regarding press freedom in Pakistan.Summary
ISLAMABAD—The president of BOL News, Sami Ibrahim, was arrested on Wednesday on Islamabad's 7th Avenue after leaving his office. The arrest is part of a broader crackdown on pro-PTI media that has been taking place in Pakistan in recent months.
BOL News reported that police intercepted Ibrahim and took him away. It was not immediately known where he was taken.
The channel's marketing head, Akash Ram, was abducted in April and remains missing. Prominent BOL journalist Imran Riaz Khan, a popular vlogger, went missing on May 11, and his whereabouts are unknown.
Two other staffers of BOL News, Adeel Zuberi, a product and development head, and finance manager Maalik, were also arrested the other day in Karachi.
The arrests of these journalists and media executives is a worrying development for press freedom in Pakistan, which has already been under pressure in recent years.
The International Press Institute (IPI) has condemned the arrests, saying they are "a clear attempt to silence critical voices." The IPI has called on the Pakistani government to release the journalists and media executives immediately and to respect press freedom.
KEY POINTS:
- Sami Ibrahim arrested in Islamabad on 7th Avenue.
- Crackdown on pro-PTI media continues in Pakistan.
- BOL News employees previously abducted or arrested.
- International Press Institute condemned the arrests.
- Media executives urged for immediate government release.
