Sabir Shakir-Moeed Pirzada faces charges of sedition-terrorism

Image

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police on Wednesday booked two more anchorpersons Sabir Shakir and Moeed Pirzada alongside another individual on charges of sedition and terrorism for their alleged involvement in the violence that engulfed the country on May 9.

The case was registered at the Aabpara police station more than a month after the violence at a complaint lodged by a citizen and includes sections 102, 121, 121-A, and 131 of the Pakistan Penal Code along with sections of anti-terrorism laws were added to the FIR.

The FIR claimed that on May 9, the complainant was present at Melody Chowk where an angry mob vandalised property, taking instructions from Sabir Shakir, Moeed Hassan Pirzada and Syed Akbar Hussain via video messages.

The complainant claimed that the persons named in the FIR incited people to commit violence and incited them to attack the installations of the armed forces, spread terrorism, provoke mutiny and create chaos in the country.

The case followed a similar FIR registered earlier this week wherein the police booked journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan, as well as army officer-turned-Youtuber Adil Raja and anchorperson Syed Haider Raza Mehdi for “abetting mutiny” and inciting people to attack military installations across the country.

Separately, global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged Pakistan to immediately dismiss the “ludicrous mutiny accusations in a complaint with no credibility” that an individual has brought against two journalists in the federal capital.

Although manifestly absurd, the charges could carry the death penalty, it said, adding that the two journalists accused of “abetting mutiny” in a complaint filed with the Islamabad police on 12 June are Wajahat Saeed Khan, a freelancer based in the US, and Shaheen Sehbai, a former newspaper editor.

“The statements made by the two former army officers on social media video channels may breach regulations governing military secrecy. But the two journalists have just practiced journalism,” the report said, adding that to “arbitrarily associates” the names of journalists with those of “rebel ex-army officers” meant to intimidate the journalists into silence.

The statement also mentioned the case of Imran Riaz Khan, a TV news anchor and political commentator who has been missing for more than a month.

You May Also Like

Image

PM met bill Gates-Saudi investors in Riyadh

RIYADH: Prime Minister Shehbaz on Sunday secured assurances on investment from Saudi Arabia and won plaudits from his hosts,

Image

Hamas Lebanon members launched rockets at Israeli military position

LEBANON: Hamas’s armed wing said its members in Lebanon’s south has launched a slew of rockets at a northern Israeli military position.

Image

IHC dismissed pleas filed by Pemra-FIA-PTA about audio leaks

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Babar Sattar on Monday dismissed pleas filed by the Pa­k­­­istan Electronic Media