Fawad’s deportation ‘not authorised’, says lawyer

 

Pakistani authorities recently revealed that journalist Syed Fawad Ali Shah is at a jail in Peshawar.

PETALING JAYA: The deportation of Pakistani journalist Syed Fawad Ali Shah has been described as “extrajudicial” (not legally authorised) by his family’s Malaysian lawyer, who says it ran afoul of international law.

P Waytha Moorthy said the manner in which Fawad was sent back to Pakistan was “troubling”, alleging that he was placed on a stretcher by Pakistani intelligence officers and put on a plane after bypassing immigration.

“This is an unconstitutional and extrajudicial act. The Malaysian government must seek guarantees that his life will not be threatened,” he told FMT.

Fawad, who had spent more than 10 years in exile in Kuala Lumpur, went missing last August. He wrote articles critical of the Pakistani government from here, which were published in dailies in his home country.

According to Waytha, Pakistani authorities had initially told Fawad’s wife, Syeda, that he was not in their country, but recently, they admitted that he was being held in a jail in Peshawar.

Syeda said Fawad had complained of being confined for a long time in an underground cell where he was physically abused.

Waytha questioned the Malaysian government’s role in Fawad’s deportation as he enjoyed UNHCR refugee status following claims of persecution in his home country.

“Fawad is a protected person under the Geneva Convention,” said Waytha, who urged the home minister to find out whether the immigration authorities had violated the Federal Constitution and international laws, and to take appropriate action.

Meanwhile, Pakistan-based lawyer Imaan Hazir questioned whether the Malaysian government was “negligent” or even “complicit” in the matter.

She challenged the suggestion that Fawad was wanted for “disciplinary” issues in Pakistan.

“It doesn’t make sense. If that was true, why is there no disciplinary case against him? The first information reports against Fawad do not claim that he is a police officer,” she said.

Pakistan is believed to have detained Fawad on accusations of “defamation”, “intimidation” of officials, and posting “false, frivolous and fake information” online.

He is said to have been granted bail in one case, but another matter against him remains active.

FMT has contacted the home minister for comment. - FMT