By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Workers (PFUJ-W) has vehemently urged for the immediate release of Irshad Ullah Khan, a senior journalist and News Editor at The Muslim Today. Khan was reportedly taken from his residence in Peshawar late Thursday night by unidentified individuals believed to be security personnel.
The PFUJ-W President Shamim Shahid and Secretary General Raja Riaz strongly condemned the illegal arrest of Irshad Ullah Khan, a senior journalist and News Editor of the English daily The Muslim Today.
According to PFUJ-W, Khan was picked up from his residence late Thursday night by security officials.
No security agency has yet officially acknowledged his arrest, and his current location remains unknown. However, officials from Peshawar Press Club and the Khyber Union of Journalists (KUJ) confirmed that some responsible officers have unofficially admitted to his detention.
PFUJ-W leaders expressed deep concern over the rising threats faced by journalists, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They stated that such actions were clear violations of press freedom and constitutional rights.
“Journalists in KP are working under increasing pressure and fear. Enforced disappearances, harassment and threats have become common tools to silence independent voices,” said Shamim Shahid.
The PFUJ-W leadership urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Interior Minister and other relevant federal and state authorities to immediately intervene in the matter and ensure Irshad Ullah Khan’s safe and unconditional release.
They also appealed to national and international media rights organizations to raise their voice against the targeting of journalists in Pakistan and to support the protection of media workers across the country.
It may be added here that a number of journalists have been killed and injured in the recent past, while several others are under serious threats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in Khyber district.
