Minister draws flak over ‘apathy’ for missing journalist

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb drew flak from the journalist fraternity as well as the human rights activists over her comments about journalist Imran Riaz, who is missing since the May 9 riots.

Taking to social media platforms after an interview of the minister with a foreign media outlet, the journalists and the rights activists accused her of defending the phenomenon of missing persons.

In the interview, Marriyum said that Imran Riaz was a spokesperson of a political party and there were cases against him. She urged the interviewer that parallels should not be drawn between party spokespersons and independent journalists.
Islamabad-based journalist Matiullah Jan said in a tweet that it was “a disappointing response” from a politician and spokesperson of the government.

“It is shameful to justify a possible enforced disappearance on the basis of someone not being a journalist.”
Marriyum replied to Jan, saying in her tweet: “I am not justifying enforced disappearances, I am condemning them. I have categorically stated that if a person is missing, any person, whether that person is me or Imran Riaz, I condemn that.”

Imran Riaz was among those who were apprehended in the wake of protests that erupted following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on May 9.
Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar revealed the other day that there was no trace of the Riaz.

In the interview, Marriyum rejected the notion that journalists were missing during the Shehbaz Sharif’s government, which “has rather brought seven points’ improvement in the country’s ranking in the index for freedom of speech and media independence”.

“Name me one journalist who is missing. Imran Riaz is a spokesperson of a political party now,” she said. “You really have to draw the distinction. You name one person who is missing, one journalist who is being shot, one journalist who has been kidnapped, one journalist whose ribs are broken.”

After the interview, journalist Secunder Kermani shared a video on his Twitter handle about the minister giving her reply to a question about Riaz.
Kermani wrote: “Imran Riaz Khan was detained by the police last week, but they say they don't have him in custody.”
Retweeting Kermani’s post, lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir mocked the minister, saying: “The mouthpiece of our Govt believes that Imran Riaz Khan is not a journalist hence ‘real’ journalists should not be concerned about him.”

Pakistan Initiative at Atlantic Council’s South Asia Centre Director Uzair Younus said, “Riaz’s status as a journalist or not should not matter.” He (Riaz) had rights granted to him on account of his Pakistani citizenship, Younus added.

In another tweet, anchorperson Maria Memon expressed her disapproval of the minister’s explanation of the situation regarding the disappearance of Riaz. “‘This Question is above my pay-grade’ would have been a more honest answer,” Maria wrote.

Journalist Mehreen Zahra Malik termed the minister’s response “Orwellian doublespeak” and “unacceptable”. Mehreen said that the government must answer for the missing anchorperson’s whereabouts.
Journalist Murtaza Solangi reminded that “it is the job of the state to find him and tell the people about the circumstances of his disappearance”.

Journalist Raza Rumi also shared similar thoughts, stressing that Riaz should be produced in a court to defend himself.
The minister later said on her Twitter handle: “I have categorically stated that if a person is missing, any person, whether that person is me or Imran Riaz, I condemn that. Whether Imran Riaz is a journalist or not is a separate matter. Before calling it a shameful response, one has to watch the full response.”

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)