Daily Times

A reporter associated with a national Urdu-language newspaper was allegedly taken away by unidentified persons from his home in Karachi early Saturday morning, according to the reporter’s family.

Around two dozen persons wearing masks scaled the walls of the journalist’s home in Salman Farsi Society at around 4am and took away the reporter, Matloob Husain Mosavi, claimed his brother Minhaj Mosavi. The brother alleged that the masked men misbehaved with the family members and locked them in a room before taking away Matloob, a private TV channel reported. Quoting neighbours, Minhaj said that plain-clothed gunmen had arrived in a Toyota Vigo, a Toyota Prado and three police vehicles. The brother said Matloob had no affiliations with any political or religious organisations. “However, he is liberal, has progressive views and is a social activist,” he added.

The brother demanded that if there is any allegation or case against him, he should be presented before the court so that the anxiety of the family can reduce. He said the family has submitted an application at the Al Falah police station to this effect, which was also confirmed by DIG East Amir Farooqi. “They (the family) have given an application stating that there were policemen and plain-clothed people involved,” said DIG Farooqi. “We are verifying this with various police agencies,” he added. In a similar incident in November last year, Nasrullah Khan Chaudhry, a senior journalist associated with an Urdu-language daily, was detained by security personnel following a raid on his residence. Three days later, Counter Terrorism Department officials had disclosed his arrest in a case registered under sections 11W(i) and 11F(i) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which pertain to printing, publishing, or disseminating any material to incite hatred, and offer support and hold meetings for a proscribed organisation.