Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Following the publication of news in Daily Times about the abuse of innocent girls by some ministers of Gilgit-Baltistan (G.B), the GB administration has allegedly started harassing the journalist Shabbir Siham.

The journalist is reportedly being threatened with registration of a false case against him, arresting him and taking him to GB if he does not appear before a fact finding committee meeting.

On the other hand the chairman Fact Finding Committee (FFC) home secretary, Ahsan Ullah Bhutta, has withdrawn the decision of holding meeting of this committee in Islamabad under the directives of the GB administration.

The journalist was told by phone that he will have to come to Gilgit with evidence with reference to his news item at every cost and will have to appear before the FFC.

The journalist has refused to go to GB due to security concerns. However assurance of cooperation from the journalist has been made if the FFC meeting is convened in Islamabad or a representative of the FFC is sent to Islamabad.

Sources said that the third meeting of the FFC was held in Gilgit on January 17 under the home secretary Gilgit and it was decided therein that the meeting of the FFC has been fixed on January 27 and this is the final date. If the journalist does not appear before it then he would be arrested and presented before the committee. The journalist has collected more information about the GB scandal. The government is fearing if the statement is recorded under 164 or before a magistrate at the official level then it would create problems for the government.