Pakistan: FIA arrests Balochistan journalist for criticising state institutions

A Balochistan journalist has been arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for allegedly criticising national institutions on social media.

The Express Tribune quoted FIA officials as saying, Zafarullah Achakzai, who reports for the Qudrat daily newspaper, was taken into custody under Prevention of Cyber Act 2016.

According to the report, he was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate after the arrest.

The court has remanded Zafarullah for six days judicial custody to FIA.

Zafarullah's father Naimatullah Achakzai, who is Qudrat's editor-in-chief, said the security forces personnel had blocked the entire area before arresting his son.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) and other newspapers bodies expressed serious concern over Zafarullah's arrest.

They said the proper journalists' bodies should have been contacted by the concerned authorities if there was any complaint against Zafarullah.

-ANI