FIR against Salman Iqbal, anchorpersons; news head arrested over Shahbaz Gill’s seditious remarks
The Karachi police recorded a first information report (FIR) against ARY Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Iqbal and others in the context of some controversial comments made by PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during a news program, it appeared on Wednesday.
The police also arrested Ammad Yousuf, the head of ARY News, from his home in DHA, the news channel confirmed.
The FIR was lodged against producer Adeel Raja, Yousaf, and anchorpersons Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman on 8 August.
The FIR, a copy of which was found, was registered in the name of the State by Inspector Ateequr Rehman of the Memon Goth Station House Officer (SHO).
It was filed under Sections 121 (waging war against Pakistan), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statements conducive to public mischief), 153 (wantonly provoking with the intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 131 (abetting mutiny or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 124-A (sedition), 120 (concealing the design to commit an offense punishable with imprisonment), 34 (common intention) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR said that an excerpt from a news bulletin, released on 8 August by ARY News, had become viral on social networks in which Gill had made “hateful remarks” against the Pakistan Army.
Yousaf detained in Karachi: ARY
Meanwhile, ARY News reported that Yousaf was detained in Karachi late on Tuesday night. A report published on his English website claims that Yousaf was “arrested without a warrant from his residence located in Karachi DHA”.
“Police and plainclothes personnel broke into Ammad Yousaf’s house. The search team diverted the surveillance cameras from Yousaf’s house, and jumped into the house from above the main entrance,” the report said.
It further stated that the search team also took the DVR of the CCTV cameras installed at Yousaf’s residence.