Prominent lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir was returned safely to his home on Friday, nearly a day after his alleged abduction by unidentified individuals, his family has confirmed.
Nasir’s supposed seizure had garnered widespread outrage, inciting a protest outside the Karachi Press Club earlier in the day.
Nasir’s wife, Mansha Pasha, had shared with Dawn.com that they were returning home from dinner late Thursday night when they were intercepted. He is known for criticizing the current state’s crackdown on PTI and the legal proceedings against alleged riot participants.
Nasir ran as an independent candidate in Karachi during the 2018 general elections. His relentless work against sectarian violence landed him on the 2013 list of three inspirational Pakistanis by Foreign Policy Magazine.
This incident comes on the heels of the recent seizure and subsequent return of senior journalist Sami Abraham, who unidentified individuals in Islamabad reportedly took. His return occurred six days after his brother Ali Raza registered a kidnapping report at the Aabpara Police Station.
Read: Concern Over Disappearance of Activist Jibran Nasir: Sindh CM Calls for Prompt Action
Meanwhile, the location of Imran Riaz Khan, a TV presenter arrested on hate speech charges following violent protests over the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan, remains unknown. He was allegedly seized by ‘unknown individuals’ after his release from custody.
In a video message, Pasha described the harrowing moment of Nasir’s abduction, stating that about 15 armed men in plain clothes surrounded their vehicle and forcibly took Nasir without explaining. She had pleaded for prayers for his safe return.