Where is Imran Riaz Khan?

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published May 24, 2023

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Pakistan’s civilian government to ensure respect for the rule of law by immediately revealing where and in what condition is missing anchor Imran Riaz Khan. 

RSF will hold the government responsible for any harm that may have come to him.

Imran Riaz Khan has been missing ever since his arrest on 11 May by police at Sialkot international airport. He was arrested under the Prevention of Violence order amid widespread protests in response to former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest.

The police initially claimed that he was released at around 10:30 p.m. the same day, although they now acknowledge that he was taken away in a police van after his “release” by the police.

This admission was made at a hearing on 22 May before the high court in Lahore, at which the police had previously been ordered to produce the journalist in court in response to the complaint (known as a “first information report”) filed by his father on 16 May.

Clear admission

RSF has seen the transcript of the hearing. What the Punjab police inspector general told the court was an explicit acknowledgment of state responsibility. “We have asked police across Pakistan,” the inspector general said. “No one has Imran Riaz (...) Imran Riaz Khan was not wanted by us. However, ‘agencies’ had asked for a police van. Why they had asked for a police van, [the court] can summon the agencies and ask.”

According to confidential diplomatic sources consulted by RSF, the government’s silence about the TV anchor’s fate suggests that he may have fared badly since his abduction and may even have died in detention.

The TV anchor had become the military’s bugbear because of his and his TV channel’s support for former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He was previously arrested on 5 July 2022 on the basis of complaints filed by the prosecutor’s office in connection with his criticism of the power of the military and intelligence agencies. And he was detained again in February of his year until a judge ordered his release.—RSF

CPJ calls on Pakistani authorities to end harassment, deportation of Afghan journalists

 January 23, 2025:  CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety

Cyber martial law: Authoritarian PECA legislation threatens digital expression in Pakistan

 January 23, 2025:  Pakistan's PECA Amendment exposes a dangerous assault on press freedom, creating a repressive social media regulatory framework that threatens digital expression and criminalizes journalism. #MediaFreedom #PakistanLaw #DigitalRights #Censorship #JournalismUnderThreat

When talk shows turn battlegrounds: The ugly face of Pakistani TV

 January 23, 2025:  An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.

Over 300 PTV pensioners rally for dues, PFUJ slams management inaction

 January 22, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the neglect of PTV pensioners who protested in Islamabad for unpaid dues and benefits. Union urges authorities to resolve issues without delay.

PFUJ condemns PECA amendments as a betrayal by information minister

 January 22, 2025:  The PFUJ has condemned the new amendments to PECA 2016, describing them as unconstitutional and threatening press freedom. It warns of nationwide protests if the government doesn’t withdraw the bill.

Crackdown on AI-generated content: FIA targets 10 more suspects

 January 22, 2025:  The FIA has registered 18 cases, including against 10 more suspects, for sharing AI-generated images of Maryam Nawaz and the UAE President. The crackdown also targets those who liked or commented on the images.

Pakistan's digital hypocrisy: PM Shehbaz Sharif tweets Trump while citizens face X ban

 January 21, 2025:  Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates Trump on X despite the year-long platform ban, sparking outrage over government double standards and digital censorship concerns.

Leaked justice: Journalists tweet Imran Khan's 14-year sentence before judge's verdict

 January 17, 2025:  In an unprecedented breach of judicial protocol, Pakistani journalists accurately revealed Imran Khan's 14-year sentence in the Al-Qadir case on social media 24 hours before the official verdict, raising serious questions about court independence