Karachi: A senior Pakistani journalist has gone missing after he was taken into custody allegedly by police personnel in Karachi, raising fears for his safety and leading to widespread condemnation by the media organisations.
Syed Muhammad Askari a senior reporter with Pakistan’s largest circulated Urdu newspaper, Daily Jang was picked by men in plain clothes late at night on Saturday.
Askari was taken into custody by police and personnel in plain clothes, according to his friend present at the time of incident.
A police mobile and a white vehicle intercepted Askari’s car near Korangi Road in Pakistan’s Sindh province on Saturday night as the two were returning from a wedding, his friend claimed.
He further stated that police and plain-clothed unknown people detained the two, even though Askari introduced himself to them and told them that he was a reporter.
However, Askari’s companion was later released. He brought the vehicle to the Jang office and reported the detention.
“These men intercepted his car and after identifying him took him away forcibly.”