PFUJ seeks release of journalists son

PFUJ seeks release of journalists son

Islamabad, Sept. 14: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ has expressed concern over failure of the auditories to locate Hasan Sharjeel, 18, son of Shakil Turabi, the Editor-In-Chief of the Islamabad-based South Asian News Agency (SANA).

Mr. Shakil Turabi, believes that "military intelligence agencies were involved in the kidnapping of his son. He said that he received "a letter in June purporting to have come from the kidnappers, who indicated they wanted a ransom. But details given in the letter for establishing contact turned out to be uncredible."

“It is because of my articles. In the past, I was kidnapped and then attacked. Now they have abducted his son.”

He said sources in the army have told him that his son is being held by a Pakistani intelligence agency.

"The grounds for holding his son were his alleged links with an armed group implicated in an attack on a mosque in which senior military officers and their family members were killed", Mr. Shakil Truabi added.

He further said “he is 99 per cent sure that Hasan is innocent, but if he really involved in illegal activity, let him be tried and hanged.”

Turabi has been pressing the Islamabad police to seek his son’s release, if he is innocent, or to bring him to trial if he is alleged to have done something against the law.

The PFUJ lamented the concerned agencies failure to trace Hssan Sarjeel. The PFUJ pointed out that it is the constitutional obligation of the state to protect the life and property of each and every citizen, yet the entire government machiney seems unmoved which is a serious offence.

It further said that it is the responsibility of the State Agencies to ensure security of the citizens rather to abduct and torture them. Such allegations have become order of the day in Pakistan owing to unchecked powers grabbed by military agencies. The media persons are fighting for building the image of Pakistan and it would be very unfortunate if media involved in checking activities of state security agencies, the PFUJ observed.

The PFUJ regretted that after months of pleading with the military authorities to release his son, Turabi managed to get the case referred to the Supreme Court which was pleaded to order the Federal Interior Ministry to intercede.

The PFUJ said irrespective of the identity of the kidnappers and their motives, the facts of this tragic case required to be established without further delay.

“The accusations that Turabi i against certain sectors of the army are so serious that the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardai being Comarander-in-Chief of Armed forces needs to take serious notice of this incident," The PFUJ stressed.

Shamsul Islam Naz
Secretary General
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
12-Nazimuddin Road, F-6/1
Islamabad, Pakistan
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