Absar Alam attack: Suspect reveals details about planners

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police informed the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan that senior journalist Absar Alam was attacked at the behest of individuals based in France, ARY News reported.

In a report submitted to the SC in the journalist protection suo moto case, the Islamabad Police said that six people who attacked the senior journalist have been arrested.

“An accused Hammad has confessed to attacking Absar Alam in return for money at the behest individuals based in France,” the report added.

The report quoted accused Hammad as saying that he had received the amount from Shah Nawaz and Mirza Zain Ghiyas through the bank.

The Islamabad police maintained that it submitted the challan on June 9, 2022, but the accused have not been indicted yet.

The report read that arrest warrants have also been issued for the suspects based in France.

“Journalist Asad Toor was also attacked at the behest of Shah Nawaz and Mirza Ghiyas. Further investigations will be done on the arrest of the accused residing abroad,” the Islamabad police maintained in the report.

Regarding abduction of another journalist Matiullah Jan, the Islamabad police said that the complainant in the case did not cooperate with the investigators.

The case of Matiullah Jan’s abduction was registered on complaint of his brother. “Matiullah Jan did not name anyone in the police statement nor did he express suspicion on anyone,” the report read.

The report said that journalist Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat did not lodge any case with Islamabad police.