KARACHI, June 22 2006: A journalist working with a private television news channel has gone missing since March while filming a military base used by US forces, his company said on June 21. The whereabouts of Mukesh Rupeta remained unknown since March when he was arrested by police for filming the Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad, a Geo television spokesman said in a statement.

“The only available report with regard to Rupeta was that he has been detained by the authorities,” he said. After repeated queries, officials accused Rupeta of filming the Jacobabad airbase for which he was detained and interrogated, he added. “Government has no information about Rupeta,” Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui told protesting journalists in Karachi. “Government will try to locate Rupeta’s whereabouts,” he said.

The International Federation of Journalists has expressed concern over the disappearance of the journalist and demanded his early recovery. “The Pakistani government must investigate Rupeta’s disappearance and ensure that the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes are brought to justice,” IFJ president Christopher Warren said in a statement.–AFP

Our reporter adds: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists in a statement expressed concern over the disappearance of Mr Rupeta. Leaders of the union also condemned police action against a procession in Ghotki by journalists who were protesting against rising incidents of violence against journalists, killings of Hayatullah Khan and Munir Sangi and the disappearance of Mr Rupeta. The statement said that another journalist, Mubarak Bhatti, faced severe threats for filing reports about a jirga held in Jacobabad. He was attacked and severely injured. Another TV reporter, Sarmad Karni, was also under threat, the statement said.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/22/2006