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| Aftab Iqbal was released, but where are Oriya Maqbool Jan and Imran Riaz? |
After the arrest of Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan, where there were violent protests in different cities of the country, the series of arrests of PTI leaders and workers began, which continues even after the release of the former prime minister.
In Lahore, most of the PTI leaders and workers were arrested under the MPO Act on charges of disturbing public order, while some were accused of attacking or facilitating attacks on other places, including the Corps Commander's house. He was also arrested on the charge.
However, in the meantime, reports of the 'disappearance' of journalist and anchor Aftab Iqbal, analyst Oriya Maqbool Jan, and TV anchor and YouTuber Imran Riaz Khan surfaced on social media, which expressed deep concern.
Oriya is a popular ex-bureaucrat and appears as an analyst on various TV shows. Based on the ideas he has been expressing in his programs, the general impression is that he is a supporter of Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Aftab Iqbal is also considered to be a sympathizer of Imran Khan and both of them have done several interviews with the former prime minister in recent times.
On the other hand, YouTuber Imran Riaz has been hosting programs on various TV channels in the past and has been considered quite popular among Tehreek-e-Insaf and anti-army circles due to the content of his program.
Imran Riaz Khan and Aftab Iqbal were 'arrested under MPO' by Punjab Police.
On May 12, Islamabad High Court granted interim bail to Imran Khan in several cases including NAB. After that, the series of violent protests stopped, but the arrests did not stop.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had given orders to bring the miscreants to justice within 72 hours. On the other hand, by using modern technology, many thousands of people have been arrested under Apam PO on charges of disorder and breach of peace.
Journalist Aftab Iqbal was detained from his home on Thursday night and produced before the Lahore High Court on Friday after which he was allowed to go home.
On the other hand, applications for the recovery of Imran Riaz and Oriya Maqbool are being heard in the court, but there is still nothing clear about their whereabouts.
IG Punjab Dr Usman Anwar told BBC that 'Both Aftab Iqbal and Imran Riaz were arrested under the MPO and their release has been processed by the police.'
According to IG Punjab, 'Imran Riaz was arrested a few days ago and put in jail where he gave an assurance of good behavior in a written statement which has also been presented in court.'
The IG says that after this assurance, "the MPO was withdrawn and he went free."
IG Punjab denied the arrest of Oriya Maqbool John by the police and said "Oriya Maqbool was neither arrested under MPO nor we want him in any case."
We contacted journalist Aftab Iqbal to find out more details about the charges against these journalists and analysts who are popular on YouTube and other social media platforms and how they are treated during this time. What is it?
Aftab Iqbal was also found there and punched him too.
Journalist and anchor Aftab Iqbal has been associated with media for a long time and these days present his various shows on digital media.
To our question, Aftab Iqbal said that on the day the attack on the Corps Commander's house took place, he was reporting there and four different teams were covering with him.
He says that now I sometimes get the chance to do field reporting. At that time I was being repeatedly told on live transmission that don't do it, don't try to enter the Corps Commander's house, you will spoil your movement.
So it was said to me that Aftab Iqbal was also found there, shoot him too.
Aftab Iqbal said that he was sleeping and fasting on Thursday afternoon when he was picked up. He said that thankfully there were no daughters and wives in the house at that time.
He said that about 15 policemen and two people dressed in white clothes came to my house and took my phone and laptop and took me from there.
"I was blindfolded and a black sack-like object was placed over my mouth."
He says that I asked what the charge was and where the warrant was, but I was not told anything. They made me sit in the white box which belonged to the agency.
'For about 45 minutes they moved me around, then I was taken to a place like a penitentiary with cells with green bars and a place to give bread and water at the bottom.'
According to Aftab Iqbal, 'When I was taken in front of the officer, I was handcuffed. This officer was wearing a mask who tried to brainwash me but his style was intellectual.
I told them that I would be able to talk after Iftar, but it was not his turn and before that, the Punjab Police took me to another location, blindfolding me terribly. The whole night I stayed in the police station on a mat with a commode in the corner.
According to Aftab Iqbal, during this time, he repeatedly requested to talk at his home, but he was not allowed.
He says that I requested the SHO many times to call my house and tell me that I am still alive, but he said that it is not in my power.
The whole night passed like this, in the morning the police came in khaki uniform, and from there the MPO was taken to jail and the government said that they will stay there for a while. The forms etc. were being filled now that the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court ordered to present them and after the appearance the release took place.
SSP said we don't know where Oriya Maqbool John is, and we didn't pick him up.
Oriya Maqbool John's son Sarmad Maqbool told BBC that 'on Friday night around 11:30, three black Vigos and an elite force vehicle came outside the father's house, who installed the CCTV camera above the gate. broke before and entered by jumping the gate. At that time father, mother, and two servants were present at home.
When the father and mother left the room after hearing the noise, they were told not to move from their place.
He explains that 'first they all spread throughout the house, then they turned out to be the entire CCTV system. Picked up Abu's phone and laptop.
"My mother was very scared and she asked where are you taking them and who are you so she didn't say anything and said we will bring them now don't worry."
According to Sarmad, when his mother requested him, he returned the mother's phone and took the father in the car along with his phone, laptop, and CCTV system.
He claimed that 'without telling anything, without showing the search warrant. Their uniforms were completely black with no identification on them.
Sarmad was in Dubai that day. The next day, he reached Pakistan and filed the petition on Saturday, after which the case was heard on Monday.
According to Sarmad, Justice Alia Neelam ordered Oriya Maqbool John to be produced at 2 o'clock. At two o'clock when Sarmad reached the court, IG Punjab and SSP were present there. The court started at four o'clock and the SSP stated that 'we don't know where they are because we didn't pick them up.'
Sarmad says that we have submitted the footage of the CCTV camera of the front house as evidence in the court and said that there is an elite force vehicle in it and the whole incident is visible.
After that, the court ordered him to appear in court by Tuesday morning and asked him to check where the vehicles went through the Safe City camera and submit a report by morning.
They say that from Friday night to Monday evening, it is not known where they are, nor is it known that they are safe, nor is it known that no violence has been done to them.
He is 67 years old and has to take medicine regularly. They have no clothes, no medicine. We do not know anything, and no one is willing to tell.
"The DPO has been asked to take the help of agencies to find Imran Riaz"
The day after the arrest of Imran Khan, the news of the arrest of journalist Imran Riaz, who gained fame from YouTube in the country, from Sialkot airport came to light.
After this arrest, Imran Riaz's lawyer filed a request for his recovery, on which the court instructed him to produce him, but he has not been produced yet.
In a hearing in the Lahore High Court on Monday, the court has given 48 hours for the recovery of Imran Riaz at the request of the district police officer.
His lawyer Shahzeb Masood told the media after the court proceedings that "CCTV footage was played in the court, in which it is shown that he is being forcibly dragged and put in a car."
"The court has asked the DPO to take the help of agencies to find Imran Riaz and produce it within 48 hours."
On the other hand, Imran Riaz's wife shared a video message from her Twitter account and wrote that 'We don't know where Imran is for the last five days.'
He appealed to pray for the recovery of Imran Riaz and said that we have full faith in our team of judges and lawyers. The door of the Supreme Court which we have knocked on, they will surely grant us justice.
Imran Riaz's wife said that the next 48 hours are very important for us because the court has said that Imran should be presented in court in 48 hours, may God be with us.
We contacted Imran Riaz's brother and tried to take his stand in this regard, but he did not respond.
Meanwhile, according to local media reports, the Punjab Police has registered a case of Imran Riaz's disappearance.
Journalists are worried about the disappearance of Imran Riaz, and Oriya Maqbool on the social media of Pakistan.
Journalist Abdul Qadir wrote that the rumors about Imran Riaz are worrying. They should be given immediate access to lawyers and family.
"We pray for the families and young children for their speedy and safe return at this difficult time."
Journalist Zakia Nair wrote that Imran Riaz has been kidnapped as punishment for speaking, no one knows where he is, and every institution has shown indifference.
"Release them. We cannot tolerate another incident like Arshad Sharif. The journalist community should unite and demand their release."
Journalist Waseem Abbasi tweeted that the way Matiullah Jan and Shahzeb Khanzada are demanding the release of Imran Riaz shows that principles are principles whether one is a friend or an opponent.
"The way Imran Riaz and his gang made senseless fun of Mati, no common man would ever forgive."
Journalist Arif Hameed Bhatti wrote that 'Senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan is still missing. His parents, wife, and children are very worried. One can only feel sorry for those who make fun of him.
Division among Journalists and its reasons
While there was a lot of discussion on social media when the reports of the disappearance of Aftab Iqbal, Imran Riaz, and Oriya Maqbool came out, the glimpse of journalistic division can also be clearly felt in this situation.
Here the question arises what are the reasons for this division of journalists? Speaking in this regard, journalist and analyst Mazhar Abbas told BBC that he sees a clear division of the media on this matter.
He says that if many friends become spokespersons of political parties instead of journalists, be it Muslim League-N, People's Party, or Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Journalists are divided if they cross journalistic boundaries. Channels have their own distribution, and media houses have their own distribution.
According to Mazhar Abbas, many friends have not only taken a position politically but also targeted journalists of other ideologies. They used to gather together for each other, he did not come.'
According to him, now due to this division, the solidarity of journalists is visible to the extent of their statements.
He said that "Whether it is these cases or the case of Matiullah Jan Ka or the sad case of Arshad Sharif, the united voice that should have come has not been seen in all of them."
"Distribution is being lost in the media houses and the arrangements are not visible on one platform due to which the journalists' own struggle has also been greatly affected."
When we asked journalist Kamal Siddiqui for his opinion on the issue of the distribution of journalists, he said, "Political loyalties seem to prevail over the people you are talking about."
"Those who did very biased journalism during the time of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, due to which many innocent people were harmed, but the way they are being treated now is also wrong."
Kamal Siddiqui gave an example of this 'There is no justification for doing wrong in response to someone who does wrong.'