Daily Times

LAHORE: Journalist Taha Siddiqui on Wednesday said he narrowly escaped an abduction attempt by armed men in Islamabad. The incident comes months after he was harassed by Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) over allegations of posting anti-military content on social media. The apex court had at that time ordered the FIA to stop harassing the journalist while hearing a case filed by Siddiqui against alleged intimidation by FIA authorities.

Twitter users including journalists condemned the incident and expressed concerns over the rising trend of threatening and intimidating dissenting voices.

Using journalist Cyril Almeida’s Twitter account, Taha Siddiqui tweeted: “This is Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) using Cyrils a/c. I was on my way to airport today at 8:20am whn 10-12 armed men stopped my cab & forcibly tried to abduct me. I managed to escape. Safe and with police now. Looking for support in any way possible #StopEnforcedDisappearances

PPP leader Senator Sherry Rehman said, “Zero tolerance for any kidnapping or harassment of citizens and journalists. Latest case of @TahaSSiddiqui is both alarming and condemnable at all levels”

Journalist Abid Hussain said, “After being harassed incessantly last year by state agencies, journalist @TahaSSiddiqui was again a target of an abduction this morning but thankfully managed to escape. These attempts to suppress dissenting voices must stop.”

Journalist Saeed Shah tweeted, “@TahaSSiddiqui is a brave journalist. His crime? Being critical of Pakistan’s security establishment and working for an Indian news channel. This is an attack on journalism in Pakistan and in particular those working for the foreign media (Taha also works for France 24).”

Journalist Naila Inayat said, “?Death threats, intimidation, physical assault & abduction is the new normal for journalists in #Pakistan. Today, Taha Siddiqui escaped abduction, tomorrow it could be anyone of you. Raise yr voice against #EnforcedDisappearances that continue with impunity”

Former anchor Najam Sethi said, “We should loudly condemn Taha Siddiqui’s attempted abduction. His ordeal continues. His Lordship CJP Saqib Nisar investigated Saleem Shazad’s murder case. He should open an investigation into such cases too in the cause of human rights and media freedoms.”

Renowned Cartoonist Sabir Nazar tweeted, “Journalist Taha Siddiqui beaten by ’10-12 armed men’, escapes ‘attempted abduction’

In November, the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, placed Pakistan among the most dangerous countries for journalists. Pakistan was ranked 139th out of 180 countries.” Foreign journalist also took to Twitter to condemn the abduction attempt.

Indian journalist Aditya Raj Kaul said, “In solidarity with Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui who fled from armed abductors this morning. Journalists, activists, bloggers and ethnic/religious minorities in Pakistan continuously being attacked, murdered and abducted. More power to you! God speed.”

Kabul-based reporter Sune Engel Rasmussen said, “Taha Siddiqui, one of Islamabad’s finest journalists, was attempted abducted today. A court last year ordered the federal investigation agency to stop harassing him. Stay strong, Taha.”

Lawyer and activist Yasser Latif Hamdani said, “As a patriotic Pakistani who supports the state I am shocked at the treatment meted out to @TahaSSiddiqui . This is not what our state or its institutions should stand for. Freedom of the Press is a constitutional fundamental right. We must be a nation of laws not tyranny.”

For the past few months, journalists critical of the state institutions’ policies have been under attack in Pakistan in an apparent wave against dissenters that has also targeted progressive social media activists. Journalists Ahmad Noorani, Azaz Syed and Matiullah Jan were also attacked by unknown assailants last year.

Published in Daily Times, January 11^th 2018.