Taha Siddiqui says he was dragged out of his cab and threatened with death- Twitter

A prominent Pakistani journalist has escaped an attempt to abduct him by armed men in the capital Islamabad.
According to BBC, 10-12 unidentified men beat him and threatened to kill him as he took a cab to the airport. He jumped out of the vehicle.
The journalist says he is now “safe with police”, who are investigating.
Siddiqui featured in a recent BBC article about press freedom in Pakistan, one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.
He said he was on the main Islamabad expressway to the airport when his would-be kidnappers stopped his taxi.
Speaking to the BBC in front of an Islamabad police station where he had given a statement to the authorities, Taha Siddiqui looked still to be in shock, our reporter Secunder Kermani says.
The buttons on his shirt had been ripped off in the struggle, and he was caked in dirt from hiding and crawling through a ditch during his escape. But he promised he would not be silenced.
A report on Dawn, a leading Pakistan Daily says:
Islamabad Police on Wednesday began investigating an “attempt by 10-12 armed men” to abduct journalist Taha Siddiqui.
Siddiqui was “beaten [and] threatened with death”, said journalist Asad Hashim in a tweet. Hashim, who accompanied Siddiqui to Koral police station, added that Siddiqui’s belongings were also taken.
Asad Hashim
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@AsadHashim
With @TahaSSiddiqui right now. It is a miracle that he escaped. He was beaten, threatened with death and his belongings taken.This is unacceptable. Journalism is not a crime. https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/950970834524532736 …
11:44 AM – Jan 10, 2018
Siddiqui was piled into a car by the armed men but managed to escape by jumping out of the moving vehicle. “He only escaped by running through oncoming traffic,” Hashim said in another tweet.
Asad Hashim
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@AsadHashim
Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani journalist, was beaten and threatened, and only escaped by running through oncoming traffic.
2:35 PM – Jan 10, 2018
Superintendent Police Dr Mustafa Tanveer confirmed that Siddiqui, who is the Pakistan bureau chief at World Is One News, approached police soon after the incident.
Siddiqui posted a message via journalist Cyril Almeida’s Twitter account, recounting the details of the kidnapping attempt. He started the tweet by identifying himself and clarifying that he was using Almeida’s account.
Siddiqui went on to say: “I was on my way to [the] airport today at 8:20 am when 10-12 armed men stopped my cab [and] forcibly tried to abduct me.” Speaking to DawnNews, SP Tanveer reiterated that Siddiqui was in a private taxi when he was stopped by armed men.
cyril almeida
@cyalm
This is Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) using Cyrils a/c. I was on my way to airport today at 8:20am whn 10-12 armed men stopped my cab & forcibly tried to abduct me. I managed to escape. Safe and with police now. Looking for support in any way possible #StopEnforcedDisappearances
11:31 AM – Jan 10, 2018
In his post, Siddiqui further said that he had managed to escape the kidnapping attempt and that he was “safe and with the police now.”
“Looking for support in any way possible,” Siddiqui added, ending his tweet with the hashtag #StopEnforcedDisappearances.
The attacks on Taha Siddiqui and other Pakistani journalists must be immediately and effectively investigated by the authorities, said Amnesty International in a press release.
“Journalists like Taha Siddiqui have a right to carry out their work freely and without fear,” Deputy South Asia Director at Amnesty International Omar Waraich said while adding that journalism is not a crime, but attacking journalists is.
“These crimes must be immediately and effectively investigated. All journalists should be provided the protection they require. And there must be a clear and unequivocal commitment by the Pakistani authorities to end impunity for attacks on journalists,” Waraich said.
In May last year, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had issued a notice to Siddiqui, known for posting comments on social media against the military, and asked him to appear before its counterterrorism wing.
Siddiqui had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court alleging that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had harassed him over the phone.
In his petition, Siddiqui had alleged that a man named Noman Bodla, who identified himself as a member of the Counter Terrorism Department of the FIA, had called him and attempted to pressure him into appearing for an ‘interrogation’ at the FIA headquarters.
He had added in his petition that Siddiqui mentioned that he “was reluctant to go to the FIA Headquarters on the basis that there have been several reports in the press where such phone calls are made and once the person who is to be interrogated sets out to the FIA Headquarters, he is either picked up and disappeared or detained illegally.”
On May 24, the IHC had asked the FIA to stop harassing the journalist.

Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani journalist, was beaten and threatened, and only escaped by running through oncoming traffic.

Messages of support: Shortly after Siddiqui’s posted his message on Twitter, messages of support from journalists started pouring in.
“Journalist community must condemn the kidnapping attempt of TahaSSiddiqui with full unity no compromise on harassment of media,” journalist Hamid Mir wrote.
Hamid Mir
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@HamidMirPAK
Journalist community must condemn the kidnapping attempt of @TahaSSiddiqui with full unity no compromise on harassment of media
1:28 PM – Jan 10, 2018
“With you Taha Siddiqui in solidarity. All the support,” Owais Tohid wrote in a tweet. “We condemn harassment, intimidation& death threats against Taha Siddiqui. All the support,” he added.
Owais Tohid
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@OwaisTohid
We condemn harassment, intimidation& death threats against @TahaSSiddiqui All the support.
12:17 PM – Jan 10, 2018
“Taha Siddiqui, one of Islamabad’s finest journalists, was attempted abducted today. A court last year ordered the federal investigation agency to stop harassing him. Stay strong, Taha,” Sune Engel Rasmussen, a journalist with Wall Street Journal, wrote.
Sune Engel Rasmussen
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@SuneEngel
Taha Siddiqui, one of Islamabad’s finest journalists, was attempted abducted today. A court last year ordered the federal investigation agency to stop harassing him. Stay strong, Taha. https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/950970834524532736 …
11:51 AM – Jan 10, 2018
“What journalist Taha Siddiqi has experienced needs to be condemned by not only all journalists but everyone ─ you should not have to fear for your life and personal safety for doing your job,” Omar Qureshi wrote.
omar r quraishi
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@omar_quraishi
What journalist Taha Siddiqi has experienced needs to be condemned by not only all journalists but everyone — you should not have to fear for your life and personal safety for doing your job
1:58 PM – Jan 10, 2018
Incidents of enforced disappearances have been reported with alarming frequency in Pakistan.
In November, the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, placed Pakistan among the most dangerous countries for journalists.
Pakistan was ranked 139th out of 180 countries.

-posted by poreg team