Journalist Imran Riaz Apologizes for undermining the issue of Baloch Missing Persons
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In a significant turn of events, Imran Riaz, a well-known Pakistani journalist, once recognized for his staunch endorsement of the country’s military establishment, visited the Baloch missing persons’ camp in Islamabad alongside his wife this Wednesday. The purpose of his visit was to express solidarity with the families of the victims and extend an apology for his earlier dismissal of their claims as baseless.
Riaz, who had himself gone missing for several months allegedly due to actions by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies in response to his anti-state and anti-military comments, assured Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the protest leader, that he would now actively advocate for the cause of Baloch missing persons. In a forgiving gesture, Dr. Mahrang acknowledged Riaz’s change of stance, stating, “We are forgiving people.”
Notably, in the past, Riaz had downplayed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan on his news show and YouTube channel. He had also criticized supporters of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, a nonviolent movement advocating for the rights of Pakistan’s Pashtun minority. Riaz had previously labeled the Baloch missing persons as “traitors” attacking the country’s institutions, claiming they “deserved to disappear.”
However, following his own experience of disappearance, Riaz now asserts a newfound understanding of the hardships faced by the families of victims of enforced disappearances and the victims themselves.
