GUJRAT: Kamonke police have arrested two local TV journalists for allegedly instigating and helping a man to self-immolate at the DSP office in protest against police inaction on his complaint. The man, Obaidur Rehman, succumbed to burns in Lahore four days later.

According to the FIR lodged with the Kamoke City police station, Moaz alleged that his brother Obaidur Rehman was not happy with the lack of progress in a case lodged by him against some suspects under section 496-A with the Kamoke police some time ago. He accused journalists Mian Shafique and Haroon Masih – and three of their accomplices – Mudassar, Chand Meher and Murtaza – of inciting his brother to ‘stage a drama of self-immolation’ on August 19 to bring pressure on police. He claimed that the journalists had received an amount of Rs20,000 and other favours from his brother for facilitating him in the case.

According to his account of events, both the journalists purportedly kept filming the act whereas Obaidur Rehman cried for help. He was brought to Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital where he succumbed to burns on Friday.

Police registered the case against the accused under sections 302 and 311 of Pakistan Penal Code and started an investigation. In his statement recorded with police in the hospital, Rehman allegedly blamed the journalists for convincing him to self-immolate.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2024