Journalists Attacked and Ransacked ACE Office in Faisalabad: Case Registered against 36 Including Nadeem Javedani

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Journalists arrested for attacking ACE officer
2. Media professionals charged with stealing record

The Civil Lines police in Faisalabad have registered a case against 36 journalists for allegedly attacking an officer of the Anti-Corruption Establishment, ransacking the office, and stealing official records. Among the six named journalists are Nadeem Javedani and Mian Munawar Iqbal. The journalists claim they were trying to pursue a fraud case against relatives of Javedani’s foreign citizen wife who had occupied her land with fake documents. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, 17 people in Faisalabad’s Nishatabad area were booked for torturing a youth and sharing a video of the incident on social media. Additionally, the FIA and health department raided a medicine factory in Painsara, seizing fake and unregistered medicines.

Civil Lines Police of Faisalabad Registers Case Against Journalists

In a recent development in Toba Tek Singh, the Civil Lines police of Faisalabad registered a case against 36 journalists on Sunday. The journalists were charged with attacking an officer of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), ransacking the office, and taking away official records.

The case specifically named six journalists, including senior journalist Nadeem Javedani, Faisalabad Press Club Vice President Mian Munawar Iqbal, joint secretary Saghir Sanwal, and former press club general secretary Zafran Sarwar. The remaining thirty journalists involved in the incident remained unidentified.

Conflicting Reports Surrounding the Incident

According to the first information report filed by Sub-Inspector Husnain, Nadeem Javedani allegedly used abusive language against an ACE prosecution deputy director at the regional office. He then called other media persons who reportedly attacked officials, ransacked the office, and stole official records.

On the other hand, Mian Munawar Iqbal and other journalists claimed that Javedani had visited the ACE office to pursue a case involving his foreign citizen wife. They alleged that ACE staff locked Javedani in a room and subjected him to torture. When the journalist community learned about the incident, they went to the office to rescue Javedani, resulting in a clash with ACE officials.

Journalists Demand Justice

The journalists involved in the incident expressed concern over the authorities’ decision to register a case against them instead of the ACE officials. They demanded that the case against them be quashed and urged the ACE to provide police with CCTV footage showing ACE staffers beating Javedani and other journalists. If their demands are not met, the journalists threatened to launch a protest.

Other Incidents in the Region

In another incident, Faisalabad’s Nishatabad police registered a case against 17 individuals for torturing a youth and sharing a video of the incident on social media. The victim, Muhammad Zain, alleged that he was attacked by Arsalan and 16 others, who filmed the torture and made it viral.

Additionally, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and health department conducted a raid on a medicine factory in Painsara on Jhang Road. They seized fake and unregistered medicines worth millions of rupees and arrested the factory owner, Saeed Ahmad.

Lastly, in Shorkot’s Kausarabad locality in Jhang, poultry farmer Javed Iqbal was shot by robbers during a robbery attempt. The local community and police managed to apprehend two of the suspects, identified as Muhammad Amer and Ranu Khan, while others escaped.

These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges and conflicts in the region, prompting authorities to take action and ensure justice for the victims.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2024