NAROWAL: Sialkot police have registered a first information report (FIR) of alleged kidnapping of TV news anchor person and video blogger Imran Riaz against five unidentified persons.

The FIR has been filed at the Sialkot Civil Lines police station on the application of Mohammad Riaz, the father of the “missing” anchorperson, a resident of New Defense Road, Lahore.

Mr Riaz says in the application that his son, Muhammad Imran Riaz, had to fly to Oman on May 11, with his professional team, including Aftab Ahmed, Naveed Anwar, Muhammad Haris and Adnan Gul.

The FIR says Imran Riaz was at Sialkot International Airport at 2:30am when a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration team allegedly stopped him from going to Oman “without any reason”.

The complainant said in the FIR that the immigration officers allegedly handed over his son to the “airport police station and Cantonment police station” officials.

He alleged when the police brought his son to the police station at 4am, there was no FIR registered against him and he (Imran) was detained illegally.

Mr Riaz said that on the order of the Sialkot deputy commissioner, Imran Riaz was arrested and sent to the Sialkot District Jail under 3 MPO proceedings against him. He said later the DC withdrew his orders and Imran Riaz was released from the district jail at 11pm.

He said as soon as his son was released, four to five masked men whisked him away in a 4X4 VIGO, which was already parked outside the jail.

Mr Riaz alleged that according to the CCTV footage, his son had been kidnapped because of the collusion of the district jail staff and the police.

He also demanded registration of an FIR against the police officers allegedly involved in the “kidnap” of his son.

According to Sialkot district police spokesman, on the orders of the Lahore High Court, DPO Muhammad Hasan Iqbal registered an FIR of the kidnapping of Imran Riaz.

He said the DPO had formed five teams headed by Investigating Officer Superintendent of Police (SP) Ziaullah for the recovery of the kidnapped anchorperson.

He said raiding teams comprising deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) of Sambarial, Daska, Pasrur, Sialkot and headquarters had also been formed.

The spokesman said police were working round the clock, using human intelligence, geofencing, civil institutions and other resources, for the recovery of the victim.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2023