A video statement of Baloch journalist Abid Mir, regional editor of digital publication 'Lok Sujag' reported missing for 24 hours on March 9 by family was posted on the journalist's Facebook profile. In the 16-second video, also tweeted by Islamabad police, Mir stated he was in Gilgit-Baltistan for two days, "safe, secure and sound", and he would return. Furthermore, senior official of government of Gilgit-Baltistan Aziz Jamali confirmed in a twitter exchange that Mir was in GB and Mir's family had been duly informed.
Mir’s brother Khalid Mir told The Friday Times (TFT) he saw his brother last on the afternoon of March 8 before stepping out of the house. Khalid says Abid told him he had errands to run before heading to the Aurat March Islamabad.
Abid Mir's colleagues at 'Lok Sujag' last spoke to him at 5:30pm on March 8. The last message Mir exchanged with his wife was at 6:22pm. Khalid Mir, an IT professional, shared with TFT that his brother Abid’s last access to the internet was at 6:27pm from Islamabad, after which he went offline.
https://twitter.com/Khalidgraphy/status/1633797075929317383
Originally from Usta Muhammad, Balochistan, Abid Mir taught Urdu literature at a government college in Quetta, before pursuing his PhD from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad. His brother told TFT Mir was forcibly disappeared for a few days in 2008 from Karachi. When TFT spoke to Khalid Mir, he was on his way to register a first information report (FIR) to the police on the disappearance of Abid Mir.
In a statement shared on social media, Lok Sujag said Mir is “vocal about gender issues, the feudal system and enforced disappearances.”
https://twitter.com/lok_sujag/status/1633759468461621253
Netizens are using the hashtag #FindAbidMir to speak about the missing journalist and ask for his immediate recovery. Managing Editor Lok Sujag, Tahir Mehdi says Mir was "actively engaged in commissioning stories about everyday life of the disenfranchised Baloch".
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has issued a statement urging the Islamabad police to “investigate immediately” and “ensure” his safe recovery.
https://twitter.com/HRCP87/status/1633763476970565632
Member of Balochistan Provincial Assembly Sana Ullah Baloch has also called for Abid Mir's swift recovery.
https://twitter.com/Senator_Baloch/status/1633786760655151106
Media watchdogs have declared Pakistan as one of the most deadliest and dangerous countries for journalists. Journalists who cross 'red lines' could be targeted via “in-depth surveillance that could lead to abduction and detention for varying lengths of time in the state’s prisons or less official jails”, says the Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF).
In August 2022, a Pakistani journalist in exile Syed Fawad Ali Shah was forcibly disappeared from Malaysia, before he was found imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in February 2023. Baloch publisher and HRCP member Faheem Baloch was forcibly disappeared in late August 2022, but released later.
In July 2020, senior journalist Matiullah Jan was subjected to a day-long enforced disappearance from Islamabad. In Karachi, a former journalist and activist Arsalan Khan also disappeared for a few hours in June 2022.
The National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR), and international rights monitors Amnesty International and RSF expressed concerns over the journalist's whereabouts and called for his recovery on Friday.
Mir’s brother Khalid Mir told The Friday Times (TFT) he saw his brother last on the afternoon of March 8 before stepping out of the house. Khalid says Abid told him he had errands to run before heading to the Aurat March Islamabad.
Abid Mir's colleagues at 'Lok Sujag' last spoke to him at 5:30pm on March 8. The last message Mir exchanged with his wife was at 6:22pm. Khalid Mir, an IT professional, shared with TFT that his brother Abid’s last access to the internet was at 6:27pm from Islamabad, after which he went offline.
https://twitter.com/Khalidgraphy/status/1633797075929317383
Originally from Usta Muhammad, Balochistan, Abid Mir taught Urdu literature at a government college in Quetta, before pursuing his PhD from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad. His brother told TFT Mir was forcibly disappeared for a few days in 2008 from Karachi. When TFT spoke to Khalid Mir, he was on his way to register a first information report (FIR) to the police on the disappearance of Abid Mir.
In a statement shared on social media, Lok Sujag said Mir is “vocal about gender issues, the feudal system and enforced disappearances.”
https://twitter.com/lok_sujag/status/1633759468461621253
Netizens are using the hashtag #FindAbidMir to speak about the missing journalist and ask for his immediate recovery. Managing Editor Lok Sujag, Tahir Mehdi says Mir was "actively engaged in commissioning stories about everyday life of the disenfranchised Baloch".
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has issued a statement urging the Islamabad police to “investigate immediately” and “ensure” his safe recovery.
https://twitter.com/HRCP87/status/1633763476970565632
Member of Balochistan Provincial Assembly Sana Ullah Baloch has also called for Abid Mir's swift recovery.
https://twitter.com/Senator_Baloch/status/1633786760655151106
Media watchdogs have declared Pakistan as one of the most deadliest and dangerous countries for journalists. Journalists who cross 'red lines' could be targeted via “in-depth surveillance that could lead to abduction and detention for varying lengths of time in the state’s prisons or less official jails”, says the Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF).
In August 2022, a Pakistani journalist in exile Syed Fawad Ali Shah was forcibly disappeared from Malaysia, before he was found imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in February 2023. Baloch publisher and HRCP member Faheem Baloch was forcibly disappeared in late August 2022, but released later.
In July 2020, senior journalist Matiullah Jan was subjected to a day-long enforced disappearance from Islamabad. In Karachi, a former journalist and activist Arsalan Khan also disappeared for a few hours in June 2022.
The National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR), and international rights monitors Amnesty International and RSF expressed concerns over the journalist's whereabouts and called for his recovery on Friday.