SUKKUR: A local correspondent of KTN News and daily Kawish, Fayyaz Solangi, who had gone missing on Sunday on his way from Hingorja town to Malirani Solangi village, turned up in a video clip shared on the journalist’s own Facebook account on Friday showing a chained and shirtless Solangi begging for his release from kidnappers’ clutches.

The video, which also showed the journalist being tortured by a masked armed man, sparked a strong outcry from the journalist community in upper region of Sindh and they staged demonstrations in several towns on Saturday.

Solangi’s colleague Ghulam Hussain Chang said at Hingorja press club that when Solangi went missing on Sunday and his motorcycle was found parked along a link road at around 7:00 pm that day police along with journalists mounted a search for him but could not find him.

He said that after the video confirmed Solangi had been abducted, his uncle received a call from kidnappers, demanding Rs10 million ransom for his nephew’s release.

CM takes notice as incident sparks protests in many Sindh towns

CM takes notice

Chang said that district police had done nothing for the journalist’s recovery for the past six days and moved into action only after the chief minister took notice of his kidnapping. Now police claimed to have traced the location of the missing journalist’s mobile phone in Ghauspur, Kandhkot-Kashmore district.

According to a statement issued by CM’s spokesman, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has sought report from Sindh IGP on the incident and instructed police to ensure recovery of the journalist.

The CM directed local police to stay in touch with the journalist’s family, it said.

On Saturday, a large number of journalists and members of general public staged a demonstration at Hingorja and Khairpur press clubs against police’s failure to recover Solangi.

The protesters’ leaders warned if Solangi was not rescued unharmed within 24 hours they would not only expand their protest but also block National Highway in Hingorja for an indefinite period.

They said that Solangi’s abduction had raised questions over the performance of Sindh police. If journalists were not safe in their areas, then what could one say about common people, they said.

Journalists in Nawabshah, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki and Kandhkot-Kashmore also staged protests outside press clubs and took out processions, demanding immediate recovery of Solangi.

They said that journalists had always supported the oppressed but it was a pity that now they were themselves being oppressed. They warned if Solangi was not recovered immediately, they would stage a strong protest.

Journalists in Khanpur Mahar demanded safe recovery of Solangi and protested against registration of ‘fake’ cases against journalist Jalal Bozdar in Mirpur Mathelo.

They said that journalists were being harassed but Sindh government had failed to protect them.

In Nawabshah, journalists staged a demonstration outside local press club and said that journalists were killed, kidnapped and forced into hiding but government had done nothing to provide them any protection.

They condemned Solangi’s kidnapping and demanded the government ensure his immediate recovery. Similar protests were held in Naushahro Feroze, Kan-diaro and other towns.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2025