Case Update Status

Izhar Khan Niazi released on his brother's lawyer card and other journalists were released by paying 30 thousand rupees.

Summary of Case

On December 1, 2020 reporter Izhar Khan Niazi and his two video journalists, working for web-based TV-Today, were detained by Station house officer (SHO) of Chauntra Police Station Zaheer Butt Rawalpindi district.

Management of Blue World City also attacked the three journalists for covering the housing society’s official’s appearance.

In conversation with PPF, Izhar Khan shared the incident as he (Izhar Khan Niazi) and two cameramen Mubashir and Muzammil from the head office in Lahore were assigned to cover the report of the police identification on the site Chakri of Blue World City.

At 3 o'clock on the motorway for Chakri they reached Chakri interchange and reached the spot in 15 minutes.

When Mubashir turned on the camera, SHO Chauntra police station Zaheer Butt, who was coming from the front, asked him to turn it off and then grabbed his camera, Izhar added.

“I intervened and told them to talk politely and tried to handle the matter but two other officials - Naeem Ijaz and Wasim Ijaz – also started abusing team of Tv today. Then Naeem Ijaz and Wasim Ijaz along with their group started harassing me and started torturing the cameramen. Elite force came and stopped them”, Izhar shared with PPF.

Officials of force took action and grabbed Naeem Ijaz and put 3 more attackers in the car with him. When the SHO saw that the elite force had captured 4 people including Naeem Ijaz, he expressed his displeasure, Izhar added.

Izhar told PPF that during the incident, the accused took cameras, mic and tripod of media team. When the media team went to Chauntra police station for the recovery of their equipment, SHO were giving protocol to the arrested accused.

Izhar tried to question SHO Zaheer Butt, the police officials became furious and started threatening him.

Officials made us a party with the plaintiff, handcuffed us and left the plaintiff, according to Izhar.

On next day in the court, I told the judge that we are journalists and were there to cover the incident, so the judge released me on personal bail of my brother who is a lawyer and other journalists were released after submitting 30 thousands.

Category of Incident

Detained

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0202 -Acts against liberty

ICCS Group: 02022-Deprivation of liberty

ICCS Class: 020222-Illegal restraint

ICCS Crime: Acts against liberty

Reported By

Freedom Network

Date of incident

1

Month

Dec

Year

2020

Name of affected person

Izhar Khan Niazi

Other affected persons

No other person affected

Name of affected organization

TV-Today

Other affected organizations

No other organization affected

Action by

Management of Blue World City

City

Rawalpindi

Province

Punjab

Designation

Video Journalist

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

43 years old

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation announced

Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date compensation paid by others: No compensation announced

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: No

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: Yes

Court where case was presented: District court Chauntra

Name of prosecuting lawyer: N/A

Date of first court hearing: 02/12/2020

Date of last court hearing: 02/12/2020

Status of court case: Case Closed

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

N/A

APNS

CPNE

PBA

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

N/A

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: N/A

Press club 2:

Press club 3: