Imran Riaz Khan, the popular journalist and Youtuber of Pakistan, has reemerged into the public eye after nearly one month of detention by the authorities.
Imran Riaz Khan, a prominent journalist renowned for his YouTube channel with 4.6 million subscribers, has shared his latest vlog today after three weeks.
Last month, he made headlines once again after being arrested from his house for the seventh time in two years in a corruption case. Later, on March 1, shortly after being granted bail in the corruption case, Imran Riaz Khan was arrested again on separate terrorism charges outside a court in Lahore.
His detention coincided with the inauguration of Maryam Nawaz as Chief Minister of Punjab, whom he has targeted in his vlogs for corruption and intrigues.
Imran Riaz Khan’s Arrest In Chakwal Corruption Case
The dramatic arrest, which took place late at night at Imran Riaz Khan’s residence, was captured on social media, sparking widespread condemnation from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which called for Khan’s immediate release.
Presented before Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Khan faced accusations related to a contract concerning Dharabi Lake in Chakwal, allegedly secured at an inflated price alongside his father. Despite Khan’s claims of innocence, an anti-terrorism court ordered his detention for five days pending investigation.
Following the court order, Khan was transferred to an undisclosed location outside Lahore. During the hearing, Khan vehemently denied the allegations, stressing that the contract in question was obtained at a lower price than the previous one.
Moreover, Khan expressed frustration over what he perceives as political manipulation, particularly targeting Maryam Nawaz and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He demanded transparency from the authorities and protested against his father’s inclusion in the corruption allegations.
Adding to Khan’s legal woes, a separate case involving allegations of corrupt land dealings emerged. He was previously arrested on February 22 in a nighttime raid on his Lahore residence, with his personal devices confiscated.
Despite being granted bail on March 1, Khan’s ordeal continued with his re-arrest on terrorism charges later the same day. Amidst the legal battles, Khan expressed hope in the judiciary while denouncing what he perceives as mistreatment and political victimization.
Now that he has been released from jail, Khan uploaded his vlog around 8 hours ago. It remains to be seen what actions the Pakistani government will take regarding his case in the future.
