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- “The men who took him said he would be released shortly,” family says.
- The incident has invited criticism from media bodes — PFUJ and KUJ.
- “We demand the immediate release of Waris Raza,” Mazhar Abbas says.
KARACHI: Senior journalist Waris Raza was taken into custody from his residence in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area on Tuesday night, the veteran journalist’s family said Wednesday.
The journalist’s family said men dressed in uniform had taken Raza into custody. “The men who took him said he would be released shortly.”
The journalist had reportedly contacted his daughter, Lyla Raza, in the wee hours on Wednesday and said he would return home within an hour, but so far, he was has not come back.
The incident has invited criticism from media bodies, with the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) condemning it.
The journalist had recently compiled a book on PFUJ about the 70-year struggle for press freedom by the union. “We demand the immediate release of Waris Raza,” the PFUJ said.
Responding to the incident, senior journalist and analyst Mazhar Abbas said: “Waris Raza not returning to his house for hours is a matter of concern.”
Karachi Press Club (KPC) President Fazil Jamili and other members of the club condemned the incident and demanded the immediate release of the senior journalist.
In response to the incident, PFUJ has called for a country-wide protest, with demonstrations taking place at every press club of the state.
Geo News contacted several government officials and law enforcement agencies in this regard, however, they refused to comment on the matter.
Geo News’ Karachi Bureau Chief Faheem Siddiqui spoke to his daughter today, where she had said that her father had contacted her again. He told her that he was dropped off at Mobina Town Police Station.
However, when his family members reached the site, they could not find him there.