Senior worker fighting legal battles abducted from Jang office

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 24 July 2024 |  JP Staff Reporter

Imran Butt, a senior employee at Daily Jang, was taken from the office by individuals impersonating FIA agents. This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of workers advocating for their rights.

Summary

RAWALPINDI—Unidentified individuals posing as Federal Investigation Agency officials abducted senior worker Imran Butt from inside the Daily Jang office in Rawalpindi despite the presence of security personnel, an alarming act seen as an attempt to silence workers advocating for their rights.

Fellow journalists and colleagues at Daily Jang have raised serious questions about the incident, questioning how the kidnappers managed to take Butt away despite security measures. The security staff claimed they had no information about the identity or motives of the abductors.

Imran Butt had been actively pursuing legal battles on various forums against the Jang administration for workers' rights. Recently, female staff members of the Jang office filed a harassment complaint with the Federal Ombudsman against two administrative officials. The case is ongoing, with the accused failing to appear at recent hearings.

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) has condemned the incident and called on the prime minister and the interior minister to order strict action against the individuals who forcibly entered the media house, abducted a worker, and violated the sanctity of the institution. The union warned of protests if the government took no action.

There is growing concern that Butt's kidnapping is an attempt to suppress the harassment case and intimidate workers. The timing of his abduction, just as decisions in his favor were expected in cases against the administration, has raised alarm among staff members.

Photo: AFP