Court hands journalist Waheed Murad to FIA on two-day physical remand

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published March 26, 2025 at 07:28 pm |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—A district court in Islamabad has handed journalist Waheed Murad over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a two-day physical remand. The FIA’s Cybercrime Wing registered a case against him under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Murad shared a news report by exiled journalist Ahmad Noorani on his social media account on March 18. The report contained pictures of the Army Chief’s family, accompanied by allegedly inflammatory remarks. The FIR further claims that Murad posted highly provocative content on social media, prompting the Cybercrime Wing to take action.

Murad was arrested at 2:05 AM on Wednesday from his residence in Islamabad’s G-8 sector. The FIR also mentions a post he allegedly made on March 12 regarding Balochistan.

Murad, a journalist affiliated with Urdu News and founder of the news portal Pakistan 24, was reportedly taken away by armed individuals dressed in black uniforms. According to a complaint filed at the Karachi Company police station, three vehicles carrying armed men arrived at Murad’s residence.

His wife, currently in Canada, stated that the armed men accused Murad of being an Afghan national and demanded that he step outside. Despite showing his Pakistani identity card through the door, the armed men broke in, confiscated his phone, and forcibly took him away. His mother-in-law, who was present at the time, was also harassed, and her phone was seized.

One of Murad’s colleagues, who tried to follow the men, was severely beaten. His cell phones were snatched, and his motorcycle was damaged.

عدالت نے صحافی وحید مراد کو ایف آئی اے کے دو روزہ ریمانڈ پر دے دیا

اسلام آباد—اسلام آباد کی ایک ضلعی عدالت نے صحافی وحید مراد کو دو روزہ جسمانی ریمانڈ پر وفاقی تحقیقاتی ایجنسی (ایف آئی اے) کے حوالے کر دیا ہے۔ ان کے خلاف ایف آئی اے کے سائبر کرائم ونگ نے 2016 کے پی ای سی اے ایکٹ کے تحت مقدمہ درج کیا۔

ایف آئی آر کے مطابق، مراد نے 18 مارچ کو جلاوطن صحافی احمد نورانی کی ایک رپورٹ اپنے سوشل میڈیا اکاؤنٹ پر شیئر کی تھی، جس میں آرمی چیف کے خاندان کی تصاویر شامل تھیں اور مبینہ طور پر اشتعال انگیز تبصرے کیے گئے تھے۔ ایف آئی آر میں مزید کہا گیا کہ مراد نے اپنے سوشل میڈیا اکاؤنٹس پر انتہائی اشتعال انگیز مواد شیئر کیا، جس پر سائبر کرائم ونگ نے کارروائی کی۔

مراد کو بدھ کی رات 2:05 بجے اسلام آباد کے سیکٹر جی-8 میں واقع ان کی رہائش گاہ سے گرفتار کیا گیا۔ ایف آئی آر میں یہ بھی ذکر کیا گیا ہے کہ انہوں نے 12 مارچ کو بلوچستان سے متعلق ایک پوسٹ کی تھی۔

مراد، جو اردو نیوز سے وابستہ اور پاکستان 24 نیوز پورٹل کے بانی ہیں، کو مبینہ طور پر سیاہ وردیوں میں ملبوس مسلح افراد زبردستی لے گئے۔ کراچی کمپنی تھانے میں درج شکایت کے مطابق، تین گاڑیوں میں سوار مسلح افراد ان کے گھر پہنچے۔

ان کی اہلیہ، جو اس وقت کینیڈا میں مقیم ہیں، نے بتایا کہ حملہ آوروں نے ان کے شوہر کو افغان شہری قرار دیا اور انہیں باہر آنے کا کہا۔ جب مراد نے دروازے کے نیچے سے اپنا پاکستانی شناختی کارڈ دکھایا، تو مسلح افراد نے زبردستی اندر گھس کر ان کا موبائل فون ضبط کر لیا اور انہیں گھسیٹ کر لے گئے۔ اس دوران ان کی ساس کو بھی ہراساں کیا گیا اور ان کا فون بھی لے لیا گیا۔

مراد کے ایک ساتھی، جو مسلح افراد کا پیچھا کرنے کی کوشش کر رہے تھے، کو شدید تشدد کا نشانہ بنایا گیا، ان کے موبائل فونز چھین لیے گئے، اور ان کی موٹر سائیکل کو نقصان پہنچایا گیا۔

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