Swat deputy commissioner reverses decision, orders release of journalist Fayyaz Zafar

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 31 August 2023

Fayyaz Zafar, a journalist in Swat, was released after a reversal of his 30-day imprisonment order under MPO3. The decision came following protests from local notables and politicians.

Summary

SWAT—A day after sending senior journalist Fayyaz Zafar to 30 days behind bars under MPO3, Deputy Commissioner Swat took back the decision and ordered his release.

In his order, the DC said at the request of the District Bar Association and notables of tehsil Babozai in Swat, the journalist “be released from jail if not involved in any case.”

However, the arrest order under MPO3 led to widespread condemnation. Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan condemned the arrest. With his post on X, the Senator posted Fayyaz's picture and the order of Swat’s deputy commissioner to send the journalist to Saidu Sharif Jail.

“Fayyaz is the voice of people of Swat. He is voice of peace,” the Senator said in his post, and added that the journalist has raised the issues of terrorism in Swat and the harassment of female students in universities. “He is being punished for raising these issues.”

Senator Mushtaq termed it the worst kind of suppression. He added that the arrested journalist was not well.

In Islamabad, journalist Tahir Khan said journalists in Swat strongly protested the arrest, forcing the DC to take back his order. He condemned the trend of arrests under MPO3, terming it a black law.