It has been 28 days since journalist Sardar Awais, a resident of Bagh district of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, went missing. Conflicting reports about his arrest and subsequent transfer to an unknown location have raised concerns in journalism and human rights circles.
During the ongoing protest movement of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee (JAC), workers, social media activists and journalists from different districts were detained by law enforcement agencies. According to sources, various cases have been registered against hundreds of political workers, social media activists, JAC leadership and journalists in the region at present.
According to sources, Sardar Awais was detained by local police on June 22 in Bagh district when he was attending a school meeting related to his children. He was initially produced in a local court, however, later different claims emerged about his transfer.
Sources say that the Bagh police said that he was shifted to Dhirkot police station, while from there it was learned that he was sent to Central Jail Muzaffarabad. However, according to his family and lawyers, he was neither produced in any court again after that nor has there been any official confirmation about his current location.
Sources further claim that a case has been registered against Sardar Owais under terrorism provisions and Section 302 in connection with the violent incidents between police and protesters at Chamyati last year.
This is not the first incident of its kind. Serious cases have been registered against working journalists in other areas including Rawalakot before.
Journalist organizations and observers say that the challenges facing press freedom in the region are increasing, while allegations of harassment of journalists and pressure on expression of opinion are also constantly coming to the fore.
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