KARACHI: The administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts (ATCs), Karachi, remanded a senior journalist in the custody of the police’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) for two days in a case pertaining to fanning religious disharmony.

Journalists’ organisations claimed that Nasrullah Khan Chaudhry, who works for Nai Baat, an Urdu-language daily, was taken away by security personnel following a raid at his residence in Karachi’s Garden area after midnight on Nov 10.

The CTD produced Mr Chaudhry before the administrative judge of ATCs on Monday and contended that he was arrested on Sunday. It alleged in the remand papers that the journalist fanned religious disharmony. The investigating officer maintained that some journals and booklets about Afghan jihad, Punjabi Taliban and components of jihad were found during the raid.

Advocates Mohammad Farooq and Haider Imam Rizvi represented the journalist. They argued that their client had been framed and that allegations made in the FIR were “unreasonable and bizarre”. They contended that the investigating officer was trying to mislead the court since the journalist was picked up three days ago.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (Afzal Butt group) has urged journalists to hold demonstrations and meetings on Wednesday to protest against the raid on the Karachi Press Club and the arrest of Mr Chaudhry.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018