KARACHI: Renowned TV anchorperson and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada has been arrested by authorities in Abu Dhabi, DawnNews reported on Friday.

Pirzada's father is critically ill and the television personality had gone to the UAE to spend time with him, reported DawnNews.

Pirzada had also tweeted about his ailing father earlier today, saying he was going abroad to spend time with his father, who he said was "critically ill."

According to unconfirmed reports, Pirzada has been charged with forging documents.

Meanwhile, Foreign Office confirmed the arrest of Moeed Pirzada by UAE authorities in Abu Dhabi.

"Moeed was arrested on August 4, he did speak to Pakistani Embassy before his arrest," FO spokesman Qazi Khalilullah told DawnNews.

The spokesman, however, declined to give details about the nature of charges levelled against Pirzada by UAE authorities.

He said the embassy is in touch with UAE government and Moeed as well. “We are extending every possible cooperation to him,” he said.

Also read: Saudi Arabia denies consular access to Zaid Hamid

Moeed Pirzada is currently working as a lead anchor with Waqt News and is a columnist for The Nation. His Facebook page introduces him as a known media and political commentator who has worked with GEO, ARY, Dunya News and PTV in different roles.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital deal
19 Jun, 2026

Digital deal

THINGS have moved rapidly where the Iran-US memorandum of understanding is concerned. While the physical document ...
Failing the public
19 Jun, 2026

Failing the public

WHETHER it is Sindh’s struggle to secure clean drinking water or Balochistan’s difficulty in improving the...
Crushed lives
19 Jun, 2026

Crushed lives

COURTS and commissions have often been up in arms over the health and ecological hazards associated with...
Words that wound
Updated 18 Jun, 2026

Words that wound

Hate speech rarely begins with physical attacks.
‘New urban province’
18 Jun, 2026

‘New urban province’

CONSIDERING the advance state of urban decay that affects Karachi, voices are often raised calling for the megacity,...
Punjab budget: mixed bag
18 Jun, 2026

Punjab budget: mixed bag

PUNJAB’S budget for FY27 is a mix of good and bad political choices, with a cash-strapped centre tightening the...