JournalismPakistan.com
August 19, 2023

ISLAMABAD—Saturday marked the 100th day since journalist Imran Riaz Khan went missing on May 11 this year, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Pakistan to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the nationally known television anchor.

“Saturday marks 100 days of the disappearance of anchor @Imranriazkhan, who has not been seen his arrest on May 11,” the CPJ statement, released on X, said.

It said the authorities in Pakistan failed to present Riaz in court amid a “larger crackdown” on media. “CPJ calls on authorities to immediately reveal his whereabouts and the conditions in which he is held.”

Reh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, told VOA it was troubling that Riaz remains missing and urged authorities to spare no effort to find him and ensure his safety.

“His continued disappearance shows the dangerous environment Pakistani journalists are operating in, where they often face retaliation for their critical reporting or commentary,” she said.

VOA said Riaz’s arrest came as part of a nationwide crackdown on the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan after they allegedly vandalized military properties in different parts of Pakistan to protest his short-lived arrest in May 2023.