Geo News journalist returns home 'safe and sound'

• Zubair Anjum's brother confirms development.
• Missing case was registered at Model Colony Police Station.
• Geo News producer was "picked up" late Monday night.

KARACHI: Zubair Anjum, an executive producer at Geo News, returned to his home in the port city's Model Colony last Tuesday night, his family confirmed.

Anjum's brother, Wajahat Anjum, said his brother came back safe and sound a day after he was "picked up" by men dressed in police uniforms and in plainclothes late Monday night from his residence.

According to residents of Anjum's neighbourhood, two police vans and double-cabin vehicles arrived at his house near the Model Colony intersection and took him away.

Wajahat had said police and plainclothes personnel entered their home wielding firearms, while family members were also manhandled during the episode. The motive behind the arrest, however, remains unknown.

“They asked for Zubair bhai and took him away at gunpoint. They also took along his mobile phone,” he said, explaining the incident.

He also mentioned that the personnel also took away the digital video recorder (DVR) of the CCTV installed in Anjum’s neighbourhood.

Detailing the incident with reporters, Anjum's brother said: “The police did not give any reason for the arrest. They did not even let him wear his slippers. We repeatedly kept asking what the matter was.”

He added that some personnel were in uniform and others were masked, except for one. “They all had TT pistols in their hands,” Wajahat said.

A missing case was registered at the Model Colony Police Station.

Meanwhile, the Korangi senior superintendent of police said his force had no information about Zubair Anjum’s arrest. He added that no police station or unit has reported taking the media person into custody.

“Police from stations in the Korangi district have not arrested Anjum. We are investigating the incident,” he said, adding that details are being taken from Anjum’s brother.

Several press freedom bodies and journalist unions condemned Anjum's disappearance including the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CPJMP), Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), Karachi Press Club and the Pakistan Federation Union of Journalists (PFUJ).

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori also lamented Anjum's 'arrest' and refuted claims that he was "picked up" by police.

He added that the police has not arrested the journalist and asked law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter. “Such arrests should be stopped now,” he added.