(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has voiced deep concern about the disappearance of journalist Saeed Sarbazi, 65, who has not been seen since he left home on the morning of 20 September 2006 in Karachi. Sarbazi works for the privately-owned, English-language “Business Recorder”, Karachi’s only business daily. “Yet another journalist has gone missing and yet […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has voiced deep concern about the disappearance of journalist Saeed Sarbazi, 65, who has not been seen since he left home on the morning of 20 September 2006 in Karachi. Sarbazi works for the privately-owned, English-language “Business Recorder”, Karachi’s only business daily.
“Yet another journalist has gone missing and yet again sources point to the intelligence agencies as being responsible,” the press freedom organisation said. “The interior minister’s promises must be translated into action at once. Like our Pakistani colleagues, we demand to know what has happened to Sarbazi.”
Sarbazi went missing after leaving home by car for the Karachi Press Club, of which he is the deputy secretary. His family has not received any word of him since then.
Sindh province interior minister Rauf Siddiqui told journalists outside the provincial assembly in Karachi that he would look into the case and would ask the police and secret services about it. Two weeks ago, Sarbazi told a friend he was being “followed by the intelligence services.”
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists secretary-general Mazhar Abbas nonetheless said nothing was certain and the circumstances of his disappearance were still unclear.
The case recalls that of Mehruddin Marri of the Sindhi-language daily “Kawish”, who has been missing since 27 June. The intelligence services were also suspected of kidnapping him at the time of his disappearance in Sindh province.
Four other journalists have been kidnapped in Pakistan since last December. Hayatullah Khan was found dead six months after he was abducted. Mukesh Rupeta and Sanjay Kumer were held illegally by the Pakistani intelligence services for more than three months. Munir Mengal has been missing since 7 April.
