Missing Pakistani journalist repatriated, Saifuddin says
KAJANG – Missing Pakistani journalist Syed Fawad Ali Shah has been sent to his homeland, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Saifuddin confirmed that this was done based on the request of the Pakistani government.
He also said that the government at that time acted based on diplomatic channels that tracked Syed Fawad's whereabouts in Malaysia and repatriated him to Islamabad.
“I can confirm that with the request of the Pakistan government, we have tracked (Fawad) and sent him back home.
"Syed Fawad Ali is a Pakistan national and has been in Malaysia for 10 years.
“His stay drew the Pakistani government's attention to request us to trace his whereabouts and send him back.
"This was a request made through the Pakistani government to our government at that time, not now (the current government),” he said during a press conference at Kajang Prison, today.
Saifuddin said while Malaysian media had described Fawad as a journalist, the Pakistani authorities alleged he was a former policeman faced with disciplinary issues.
"This (information) I am quoting from a Pakistani source that was sent to us.
"Although he is a former police officer, he has good writing skills.
“Most of his writing critised the government, which is why he has been portrayed as a journalist but officially, he is a former police officer in Pakistan," he said.
Fawad, an exiled Pakistani journalist in Malaysia for over 10 years, was reportedly missing since Aug 23.
The 41-year-old journalist was believed to have been detained by the immigration department at a Petronas station near Lucky Garden, Bangsar, on Aug 23, 2022 based on information supplied by Fawad’s wife, Syeda.
Fawad holds a refugee card issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and sought asylum in Malaysia for alleged persecution in Pakistan over articles published in several English dailies related to alleged government corruption.
He started exposing corruption within Pakistani officials in 2008 and came to Malaysia through Thailand in 2011 when his life was threatened.
