2 Senior Journalists Go Missing In Balochistan

Two senior journalists of Balochistan, including the former chairman of Chaman Press Club, went missing from Chaman city on Saturday evening.

The Balochistan-based journalists and human rights activists have expressed concerns over the ‘mysterious disappearance’ of Saeed Ali Achakzai, a senior reporter of Samaa News and former chairman of Chaman Press Club, and Abdul Mateen Achakzai, a reporter of Khyber News. They called on the provincial authorities to take notice of the incident and recover the journalists immediately.

Meanwhile, the local journalists have claimed that they were arrested by ‘security forces’ under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

Journalist Hameedullah Sherani said, “Abdul Mateen Achakzai of Khyber News and Saeed Ali Achakzai of Samaa News were arrested by security forces last evening in district Chaman. Both have been shifted to Machh Jail under 3MPO [Section 3 of Maintenance Public Order].”

Journalists Abdul Mateen Achakzai of Khyber News and Saeed Ali Achakzai of Samaa News were arrested by security forces last evening in district Chaman. Both have been shifted to Machh Jail under 3MPO. @HamidMirPAK @Xadeejournalist @asmashirazi @khattak63 @AWGoraya @Advjalila pic.twitter.com/MsarFIlf1Q

— Hameed Ullah Sherani (@HameedJourno) June 21, 2020

Two senior journalists of Chaman Press Club have been suspiciously disappeared since yesterday evening, 1 Saeed Ali Achakzai of Sama News and 2 Abdul Mateen Achakzai of Khyber News; #Press in Pakistan has been continuously in #Chains and suppressed @a_siab pic.twitter.com/XL0rqWJzfB

— Ayub Assak (@AyubAssak) June 21, 2020

#Journalismisnotacrime#KillaAbdullah administration of bordering town #Chaman has detained #two Journalists Saeed Ali Achakzai (Former President Chaman Press Club & Senoir Reporter @SAMAATV) & Abdul Mateen Achakzai (Khyber News) under the III-MPO. @JournalismPk@pressfreedompk

— Ibrar Ahmed (@PhilanthropistI) June 21, 2020

Another senior journalist Malik Achakzai said that currently the status of ‘freedom of media’ in Pakistan is ‘worst’. “Two journalists Saeed Ali Achakzai and Mateen Achakzai from Chaman taken to Mach prison without any crime is a clear attack on press freedom to silent us all. It all happens under the nose of CM [Jam kamal].”

Worse status of #FreedomOfMedia in Pakistan two journalists Saeed Ali Achakzai and Mateen Achakzai from Chaman taken to Mach prison without any crime is a clear attack on @pressfreedom to silent us all. It all happens under the nose of CM @jam_kamal @ShireenMazari1 cc @CPJAsia https://t.co/2nSpdPY0D4

— Malik Achakzai (@MalikAchkJourno) June 21, 2020

Two Journalists from #Chaman
Abdul Mateen Achakzai of @KhayberNews and Saeed Ali Achakzai of @SAMAATV are gone missing since last night, please raise voice for them. pic.twitter.com/TuzvJfqTIG

— Bahot Baloch (@bahotbluch) June 21, 2020

#Chaman Press Caleb
Saeed Ali Achakzai of #SamaaNews and Matin Achakzai of #KhyberNews strongly condemn the unjustified arrest by the security forces and their immediate transfer to Mach Jail. This freedom of the press is considered wise. Be released immediately pic.twitter.com/swUGIpQBoG

— Shafiq Achakzai (@Shafiq_Achakzai) June 21, 2020