‘Deeply Shocking’: Arrest of Pakistani Journalist Spurs Dispute Over Al-Qaida Allegations
Supporters of Muhammad Saad bin Riaz say the accusations do not match his work as a researcher and journalist focused on regional conflicts and information warfare
[ISLAMABAD] Pakistani journalist and YouTuber Muhammad Saad bin Riaz has been sent to jail on judicial remand in Lahore after counterterrorism authorities accused him of promoting al-Qaida and possessing banned material, allegations his family, colleagues, and some analysts strongly dispute.
The case has opened a wider debate in Pakistan over whether authorities are confronting a genuine extremist threat or using broad counterterrorism powers in a way that risks undermining public trust, press freedom, and the credibility of intelligence-led policing.