Senior journalist and former chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (Pemra) Absar Alam was shot in Islamabad near his residence where he was walking.
A video was released on Twitter right after the incident in which Absar Alam can be heard saying that he was attacked while walking outside his home while he was being taken to the hospital.
Absar said that he suffered injuries to his ribs.
In the video Absar Alam said to the atackers,
“I won’t be scared by such tactics and I won’t give up.”
Gunman attacks Senior journalist @AbsarAlamHaider outside his house in Islamabad. Thoughts and prayers. #absaralam pic.twitter.com/CybTleTIWQ
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) April 20, 2021
Soon after the incident, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has directed Inspector General of Police Islamabad to arrest the culprits at the earliest.
In a statement, he said the assailants cannot escape the law and they will soon be arrested.
ابصار عالم پر فائرنگ کے واقعے کا نوٹس
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) April 20, 2021
آٸ جی اسلام آباد کو تحقیقات کا حکم دے دیا ہے
فائرنگ میں ملوث شخص کو جلد از جلد گرفتار کرنے کی ہدایت
ابصار عالم پر فائرنگ کرنے والے قانون سے بچ نہیں سکیں گے۔
بہت جلد قانون کی گرفت میں ہونگے۔
Information Minister Fawad Chauhdry also condemned the attack on Absar Alam.
In a tweet, Chaudhry said police have been ordered to look into the matter and all detail in this regard will be shared with the media.
ابصار عالم پر قاتلانہ حملے کی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں، پولیس کو واقعہ کی فوری تحقیقات کا کہ دیا ہے جوں ہی تفصیلات سامنے آئیں گی میڈیا کے سامنے رکھیں گے ،
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 20, 2021
Islamabad police chief constituted a special team under the command of SSP Investigation to probe the matter from all aspects.
Firing incident on Mr Absar Alam:
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) April 20, 2021
IGP Islamabad constituted a special team under the command of SSP Investigation to investigate the matter from all aspects.
The Team has been directed to use all scientific and forensic methods to trace the accused involved in the incident.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz also too it to Twitter and berated the attack.
Silencing the voice of dissent is a cancer that has plagued this country for many years. Absar Alam Sahab is the latest victim of this cruel & barbaric crime. May Allah SWT heal his wounds and the wounds of this country. Ameen.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 20, 2021
Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AMEND) strongly condemned the attack on former chairman Pemra and demanded the government arrest the culprits.
