A correspondent of Pakistan Connect, Idrees Abbasi, has been harassed and threatened by JUI-F workers while he was reporting outside a madrassa linked to Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad’s F-8 sector.
In a video statement, the journalist said a video showing him was being shared across different social media platforms and groups.
He claimed that the video had been recorded and edited without his permission and that the statements in it were fabricated and presented in a misleading way.
What happened?
The journalist explained that he had visited the madrassa to seek its administration’s response to a notice issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over alleged encroachments.
However, he claimed that people at the madrassa harassed him and tried to attack him.
He said he decided to leave the area rather than continue the discussion and went to another sector to seek the views of members of the public.
He said he wanted to ask people about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s statements against the state and the military, his properties and his reported reluctance to present himself for accountability.
According to the journalist, the people followed him from the madrassa to another sector. He alleged that they recorded videos of him without permission and edited the clips according to their own wishes.
Further, he said such actions would not stop him from carrying out his journalistic duties. He added that he understood his responsibilities and had always tried to fulfil them.
The journalist further said that he believed it was important to hear every side of a story. He said he had also wanted to hear the madrassa administration’s position but they had avoided giving their response.
