Pakistan journalist 'abducted' by security personnel

Islamabad [Pakistan], Jan 22 (ANI): Pakistani journalist and columnist Fawad Hasan was reportedly abducted for a short while by Rangers personnel on Monday.

According to a Daily Times, Fawad was abducted from Karachi University's (KU) International Relations department by men, but returned safely later.

Another journalist Arshad Yousafzai, however, took to Twitter and informed that Fawad was assaulted for covering a seminar held for the recently 'slain' Professor Hassan Zafar Arif.

"They released @FawadHazan after violence, also threatened him to not cover such seminars. They also told him that LAEs are recording his phone calls if he talked about the investigation, they will pick up him again," Yousafzai tweeted.

They released @FawadHazan after violence, also threatened him to not cover such seminars. They also told him that LAEs are recording his phone calls if he talked about the investigation they will pick up him again.

— Arshadyousafzai (@Arshadyousafzay) January 22, 2018

Earlier in the day, Fawad had spoken at the conference and also tweeted.

"Even though Dr Hasan Zafar Arif didnt stay in the varsity for long, he nevertheless became an integral part of #KU history!

Teachers remember Zafar Arif sb..." he tweeted.

"Even though Dr Hasan Zafar Arif didnt stay in the varsity for long he nevertheless became an integral part of #KU history!"
Teachers remember Zafar Arif sb... pic.twitter.com/WD9uR4Hn7s

— Fawad Hasan (@FawadHazan) January 22, 2018

Professor Riaz Ahmad, who had organised the event, also confirmed that Fawad had been taken to the Rangers headquarters.

On January13, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London's deputy convenor Dr. Hasan Zafar Arif was found dead in his car in Karachi's Ilyas Goth area on January 14, a day after his abduction.

MQM Founder Altaf Hussain strongly condemned the extrajudicial killings of Dr Arif and drew attention toward the recurring pattern of violence against activism for truth and justice in Pakistan.

The MQM has asked Pakistan's Chief Justice Saquib Nisar to take suo motu notice of what it described as the custodial assassination of Dr. Arif.

"The death of Professor Hassan Arif will not go in vain, he was a fearless and true ideological worker of the MQM, despite being detained arbitrary for several months in 2016, at a time when enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings were a daily occurrence, Professor Arif remained steadfast to his cause," MQM Founder Altaf Hussain had said earlier this month. (ANI)