ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan has strongly condemned the filing of FIRs against the journalists, calling it “political victimisation” by the government.
In a statement, the former prime minister alleged that the government was behind the “fake FIRs” and said it was “absolutely unacceptable”.
“I strongly condemn the political victimisation of journalists Arshad Sharif, Sami Ibrahim, Imran Riaz Khan through fake FIRs by the imported government brought in through US regime change conspiracy. This is absolutely unacceptable,” he stated.
According to reports, cases have been registered against journalists Imran Riaz Khan, Sabir Shakir, and Arshad Sharif for allegedly criticising state institutions and “abetting mutiny”.
The first information report (FIR) against Imran Riaz Khan was registered in Thatta’s Dhabeji police station. The FIR said that the complainant had heard the journalist talking against the army and the institutions in a “derogatory and provocative language” on social media.
Anchorperson Arshad Sharif was also booked into two cases in Hyderabad and Karachi. The FIRs referred to Sharif’s comments in a conversation with journalist Matiullah Jan on his YouTube channel
Another FIR was registered in Dadu against Arshad Sharif and journalist Sabir Shakir. The FIR said that “derogatory language” regarding state institutions was used in a conversation between the two and analogies were drawn to Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq. It added that the two were inciting people against the army and state institutions.
A similar FIR was also recently registered against journalist Sami Ibrahim in Attock by a citizen who had viewed his Youtube channel.
