KARACHI – Security personnel in plain clothes on Sunday arrested The Nation Chief Reporter Mansoor Khan when he was covering the rally of the MQM-London chapter and kept him in brief detention at an undisclosed location. He was later released after security high-ups intervened into the matter.
According to details, Mansoor Khan was covering the MQM-London rally at Azizabad area and was returning after performing his professional duties when plain clothed men approached him and detained him. Khan also presented his office and Karachi Press Club cards to the men but they refused to listen to him and took him away after blindfolding him. He was later kept in brief detention and was released after security high-ups intervened into the matter.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) office bearers Ayub Jan Sarhandi and Faheem Siddiqui condemned the detention of Mansoor Khan and said that despite showing his identity to security personnel while covering a political party gathering was intolerable. “The attitude from the security personnel was the same that was witnessed during raid at Karachi Press Club,” they said adding that attempts were being made through such acts to suppress the freedom of speech and independent media. They however, vowed that the journalist community was united against such acts and would foil any such activity.
Adviser to Chief Minister Sindh on Information Murtaza Wahab also condemned the detention of Mansoor Khan and said that the provincial government was committed to ensure safety of journalist community and uphold the media freedom in the country.
