A journalist working for international media has said he was beaten up and abducted by security agencies who held him at the police station for four hours when he was covering the protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters that erupted at Pakistan Army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Hasan Ali is a freelance journalist who contributes to international media organisations like, The Christian Science Monitor, and Vanity Fair. He mainly reports on issues related to marginalised communities.
Hasan Ali told Dissent Today that he was beaten up and picked up from outside the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi while he was reporting on protest against the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan that erupted at the site.
He also claimed that he was held at a police station without any charges for four hours.
“I find this a scandalous violation of the rule of law and a troubling sign of the callousness with which the state perceives our basic rights as citizens of the republic,” he added.
Violent protests erupted across the country following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court yesterday where he had appeared to get bail in multiple cases registered against him.
He was arrested in a corruption case by rangers.
Protesters across the country entered various army areas and resorted to damaging public property, while clashes between PTI supporters and police were also reported.
