By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD – Unknown armed people has been abducted another journalist from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad despite the presence of hundreds of security cameras across the city. 

Unknown armed individuals abducted journalist Waheed Murad from his residence in Islamabad’s G-8 sector, raising serious concerns over safety and law enforcement in Pakistan’s capital. 

According to eyewitnesses and family members, armed men stormed Waheed Murad’s house late at night, forcibly taking him away without disclosing their identity or providing any legal warrant. The abduction has sparked outrage among the journalist community and human rights activists, who have repeatedly raised alarms over increasing threats to press freedom in Pakistan.

“Around 15 to 20 masked men with guns forcefully entered our house, broke the doors, and picked Waheed,” Murad's mother-in-law said in a video statement. 

Islamabad, known for its high surveillance and extensive security measures, has witnessed several cases of forced disappearances in recent years. The abduction of Waheed Murad has once again underscored the vulnerability of journalists and dissenting voices, even in the country’s most secure city.

“The fact that such incidents continue to happen despite the presence of surveillance cameras and law enforcement agencies is deeply concerning,” said a senior journalist on the condition of anonymity. “If a journalist is not safe in the capital, what does that say about press freedom and public security in the rest of the country?”

Following the abduction, journalist organizations, civil rights activists, and political leaders have demanded the immediate recovery of Waheed Murad and accountability for those responsible. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has called for a nationwide protest, urging the government to ensure the protection of media professionals.

However, hours later, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) brought Mr Waheed in local court and lodged an FIR accusing him of posting a video in favor of the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatest organization fighting against Pakistani forces in Balochistan. 

“Journalist Waheed Murad revealed in court he was with some other people blindfolded and 20 miniuts before handed over to FIA,” said Asad Toor, Islamabad-based journalist, on X.  

As concerns over press freedom intensify, this latest incident serves as another grim reminder of the dangers faced by journalists in Pakistan, where enforced disappearances remain a pressing issue while several prominent journalists fled the country after authorities arrested some journalists who raised voices against the human rights violations in the country.