Journalist Waheed Murad abducted from home in Islamabad, says family

Pakistani journalist Waheed Murad was reportedly taken from his Islamabad residence by masked men early Wednesday morning, according to his family.

Murad, who works for Urdu News—a platform serving Urdu-speaking audiences in Pakistan and abroad—has become the latest victim in what critics describe as a growing trend of harassment and intimidation against journalists critical of the establishment.

His wife, journalist Shinza Nawaz, shared details of the incident on the social media platform X, revealing that masked men took Murad at 2 a.m., repeatedly asking, “Where is his wife?” Nawaz added that her mother, also present during the raid, was pushed and mistreated despite being a heart patient. The men confiscated both Waheed’s phones, her mother’s phone, and several documents.

Murad’s mother-in-law, Abida Nawaz, further revealed in a video message that the masked men identified themselves as police but showed no warrants or documentation. She recounted how the group, comprising 15 to 20 individuals in three vehicles, forcibly entered the residence, broke down doors, and dragged Murad away.

This troubling development comes on the heels of similar incidents involving journalists. Just days earlier, the brothers of exiled journalist Ahmad Noorani were abducted after their home in Islamabad was stormed by men claiming to be police. On March 20, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested journalist Farhan Mallick in Karachi, accusing him of airing “anti-state” content on his digital platform Raftar.