Journalist 'picked up' from Islamabad by masked men

ISLAMABAD: Senior journalist Waheed Murad was reportedly "picked up" from his residence in Islamabad in the wee hours of Wednesday.

His wife alleged that a group of masked individuals dressed in black uniforms stormed into their home around 2am and forcibly took Murad with them in a black "dala".

Speaking to Geo News, Murad’s wife said that the men knocked on the door and accused her husband of being an Afghan. When Murad denied the claim and slid his identity card under the door as proof, they forcibly broke in. She added that the men, dressed in black uniforms, seized both Murad and her mother’s phones before taking him away in a black vehicle.

Murad’s wife, who is currently abroad, said that her mother was at home at the time of alleged abduction. She had requested the intruders to send female police officers, but they refused and forcibly took Murad away.

Family sources confirmed that the abduction took place on Chaman Road in Sector G-8.

Later, Murad's mother-in-law filed a petition for the missing journalist's recovery via Advocates Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha. The interior secretary, defence secretary, Islamabad inspector general of police, and the station house officer (SHO) of Karachi Company police station have been named as respondents in the plea.

According to the petition, individuals dressed in black uniforms arrived at their home in Sector G-8 at 2am, while two police vehicles were also seen accompanying them.

The petition alleges that the men in black uniforms forcibly took Murad away. It also states that those who entered the house misbehaved with the family.

A complaint was lodged at Karachi Company police station, but no FIR was registered. The petition requests an immediate order for the recovery of Murad and legal action against those involved in his unlawful abduction.