Pakistan: Authorities arrest Geo News Executive Producer

Police have denied the arrest and disappearance of Geo News Executive Producer Zubair Anjum, despite the media worker being brought into custody from his Karachi home by armed officers on June 6. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the journalist’s disappearance and urge law enforcement and the Pakistani government to launch an immediate investigation.

Geo News Executive Producer Zubair Anjum has allegedly been abducted by police. Credit: Zubair Anjum / Facebook

According to Geo News, two police vans and several double cabin vehicles arrived at Zubair Anjum's Model Colony home in Karachi on June 6, with armed, uniformed and plain-clothes police entering the residence and taking him into custody.  Police also confiscated the journalist’s phone and a digital video recorder holding footage from neighbourhood CCTV cameras. According to his family, who were allegedly assaulted in the raid, the officers provided no explanation for the arrest.  

The Senior Superintendent of Police for Karachi’s Korangi District stated that no police station under his jurisdiction had detained Zubair Anjum, and confirmed that an inquiry into the event is ongoing. A case concerning Anjum’s disappearance has been registered at the Model Colony Police Station.  

Anjum’s arrest is the latest in a series of detentions in Pakistan over the past month amid widespread political and social unrest in the wake of the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, and has raised significant concerns for press freedom and the safety of journalists. 

According to the IFJ’s South Asia Press Freedom Report 2022-2023, at least 93 separate media rights violations were recorded against at least 75 journalists, including against at least five women journalists. From May 2022 to April 2023, Pakistan saw the arrests and detentions of at least 24 journalists, with many abducted or detained by unknown actors before being released.   

PFUJ President GM Jamali and Secretary General Rana Azeem said: “If someone has done something illegal, the government must obey the law of the land. He must be charged and dealt with legitimately, but any media person who is wrongfully detained will not be authorized, and we condemn such incidents of missing media persons.” 

The IFJ said: “The increasing number of forced disappearances of journalists is deeply concerning and represents an assault on freedoms of expression and press freedom in Pakistan. The IFJ urges the Pakistani authorities to cease the arbitrary detention of journalists and ensure all media practitioners can operate without fear of arrest, violence, or other retribution.” 

For further information contact IFJ Asia - Pacific on [email protected]

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 140 countries

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