HYDERABAD: A local journalist and social medial activist, who was detained by police in Mirpur Mathelo, Ghotki district, on Tuesday under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), was not released despite intervention by the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Media Practitioners (CPJMP) on Thursday.

Sindh home department had issued an order on May 16 to detain Nasrullah Gadani under the MPO. According to the order, the journalist was inciting people to block roads and highways and organise sit-ins, which might have disturbed peace and created serious law and order situation. His actions might have put public safety in danger, it said.

Gadani’s colleagues from Ghotki said that he had been working for a Karachi-based Sindhi newspaper for several years. He was punished for raising voice for genuine issues of public in his area, they said.

Latif Leghari, a local journalist, said that Gadani’s brother was also moving an application to Sindh High Court on Friday to seek his release.

Justice Razvi stated in his communication to Sindh home secretary that he was of the opinion that the “allegations levelled against the journalist, Nasrullah Gadnai, are vague and not sufficient for keeping him behind the bars”. He requested his release and withdrawal of the MPO.

An official at Sindh home department confirmed the request by the commission’s chairman had been received and the department was working on it.

Some reports suggested that Gadani had used harsh and abusive language against officials in a Vlog, prompting authorities to put him in jail under MPO.

After his detention by Mirpur Mathelo police, Gadani was handed over to Hyderabad police who shifted him to central prison.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023