Police in Pakistan arrested a journalist on unspecified charges

A prominent Pakistani journalist and government critic was arrested at his home on Wednesday, his colleagues and local media reported.

The editor of the news outlet Online had just days earlier suggested that Prime Minister Imran Khan was showing favoritism by granting a government minister with whom he has a close relationship an award.

Murad Saeed, minister for communication, was ranked as the top performer in Khan's Cabinet. According to the information ministry, Saeed filed a complaint against Baig following the comments.

In a statement to reporters, Baig's family said that police and officials from a federal investigation agency raided his house in Islamabad early Wednesday and arrested him without giving a reason.

On social media, Pakistani journalists condemned Baig's arrest. The police were still present at Baig's home, although no other details were immediately available.

The government had no immediate comment.

Pakistan has long been considered an unsafe country for journalists. As of 2020, it ranked ninth on the Committee to Protect Journalists' annual Global Impunity Index, which measures countries where journalists are regularly killed but their attackers go free.

*This article contains information sourced from VOA.