Abductions by intelligence agencies continue in Pakistan for criticising govt: Families

Social media activists and vlogger allegedly abducted in Pakistan for criticizing government, sparking concerns over enforced disappearances.

Intelligence agencies in Pakistan continue to abduct social media activists and vloggers for criticising the government and the powerful military establishment in the country, their families have alleged, and approached Courts in Punjab province.

Two social media activists of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Naeem Ahmad Yasin and Arsalan Akbar, and Vlogger-comedian Aun Khosa, have allegedly been arrested by intelligence agencies in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

They have been reported "missing" by their families.

Also Read: Is Pakistan using a firewall to censor social media platforms? | Explained

The Shehbaz Sharif government and the establishment have been facing scathing criticism on social media for "abducting" Khosa for singing a parody song on soaring electricity bills.

Days before his abduction, Mr. Khosa had sung a song "Bill Bill Pakistan", a parody of the famous Pakistani song "Dil Dil Pakistan" and released a video on social media criticising the high prices of electricity and extra taxes added to it.

Mr. Khosa also took on the worthlessness of the Pakistani passport and the cash-strapped country's loans. The comedian has a following of 137,000 on YouTube.