KARACHI: Imran Riaz, a well-known anchorperson and YouTuber, was arrested at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport early Wednesday morning as he was about to depart for Saudi Arabia to perform Haj. The arrest was linked to a fraud case, with Riaz accused of defrauding a complainant of Rs0.25 billion.
Riaz was taken into custody late on Tuesday night while in Ihram, and the visuals of his arrest quickly spread on social media. He was presented before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Kamran Zafar on Wednesday, where the police sought a seven-day physical remand. The charges, based on Section 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) of the Pakistan Penal Code, allege that Riaz borrowed the money from the complainant but failed to repay it.
Riaz’s lawyer, Mian Ashfaq, argued that the case was fabricated, claiming that the complainant was associated with the political opposition. After hearing both sides, the judge granted the police a one-day physical remand of Riaz.
Earlier on Wednesday, Riaz’s lawyer Azhar Siddique filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) requesting details of the FIR under which Riaz had been arrested. The petition raised concerns over the lack of information provided to Riaz regarding the charges against him and his sudden arrest by plainclothes officers.
Separately, Riaz’s brother filed another petition demanding the journalist’s immediate release, stating that his detention was unlawful and that he was being denied the right to travel. The petition also named several high-ranking officials, including the Punjab police chief and directors of the FIA.
The arrest has drawn widespread condemnation, especially from Riaz’s supporters within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The party, led by Imran Khan, labeled the arrest as “absolutely condemnable” and called for Riaz’s immediate release, questioning whether performing Haj had become a crime in Pakistan.
This arrest follows Riaz’s earlier detention and subsequent disappearance in May 2023, when he was missing for several months before being released. His arrest this time is part of an ongoing investigation into financial fraud.