New York, September 6, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Pakistani government to ensure that there is a full investigation into the abduction and beating of a journalist for The Friday Times. Ali Chishti, who writes on national security and counter-terrorism, told CPJ and local news outlets that he was abducted and beaten on Friday, August 30, and released the next morning.
“The abduction by police and subsequent abuse of Ali Chishti must not go unpunished,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government should make every effort to bring the perpetrators to justice. Sharif should make a priority of addressing the impunity with which attacks on journalists have taken place over the years. Pakistan’s record is abysmal in protecting its journalists from harassment, abduction, beatings and even death.”