The Intelligence Bureau (IB)’s Sindh Provincial Headquarters has suspended five officials allegedly involved in the attack on ARY television presenter Iqrar-ul-Hassan and his team.
Iqrar-ul-Hassan were reportedly beaten and tortured by IB officials after Hassan and his team filmed an IB Inspector taking a bribe on camera and alerted the Director of the IB. Hassan said that he along with his team was stripped naked and detained for three hours while being tortured with electric shocks. Hassan claimed that the incident was also filmed, and the perpetrators threatened to release the films if they exposed corruption in the IB.
The journalist was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he was treated for injuries and a dislocated shoulder. He later reported that he was traumatized, but would remain ‘steadfast.’
Several politicians and media figureheads condemned the attack on the journalist and his team.
Provincial Minister of Sindh for Local Governments Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said “Anchor Aqarul Hassan was tortured in the office of a federal agency in Karachi today. We condemn it.”
اینکر اقرار الحسن پر آج کراچی میں واقع ایک وفاقی ادارے کے دفتر میں تشدد کیا گیا ۔ ہم اس کی مذمت کرتے ہیں۔ اے آر وائ کے مطابق ایک وفاقی ادارے کے ہانچ افسران کو معطل کردیا گیا ہے اس واقعے کے بعد۔
— Syed Nasir Hussain Shah (@SyedNasirHShah) February 14, 2022
“Journalism is not terrorism, nor is it a crime,” said TV host Aqsa Kinjhar Leela Jamali.
Journalism is not terrorism, nor is it a crime. #iqrarulhassan pic.twitter.com/S5VekEwtED
— Aqsa Kinjhar Leela Jamali (@AqsaLeelaJamali) February 15, 2022
A notice released by the IB stated that the officials were being placed under immediate suspension for ‘mistreatment of the ARY News Team and mishandling the situation.’
یہ ہے ہماری IB کے افسر و اہلکاروں کی فرعونیت۔ انٹیلی جنس ایجنسی نے گماشتے کب سے پال رکھے ہیں؟ IB انسپکٹر کی کرپشن بے نقاب کرنے پر @iqrarulhassan کو ننگا کر کے بجلی کے جھٹکے لگائے گئے اور ویڈیو بھی بنائی گئی۔ اقرار شدید زخمی حالت میں عباسی شہید اسپتال منتقل
یہ پڑیں ہیں انسانی حقوق pic.twitter.com/2ynZ7UwEyC— Ameer Abbas (@ameerabbas84) February 14, 2022
