Pak journo working for Indian news channel escapes abduction bid

A Pakistan-based reporter had a narrow escape after armed men tried to abduct him when he was travelling to the airport, on Wednesday morning.

Taha Siddiqui, who is the Pakistan Bureau chief of an Indian news channel, took to Twitter to explain the ordeal he had to go through. He said he was travelling to the airport, when 10-12 armed men stopped the car and tried to abduct him.

However, he is now safe with the police.

In a tweet posted by Siddiqui, he wrote: "This is Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) using Cyrils a/c. I was on my way to airport today at 8:20am whn 10-12 armed men stopped my cab & forcibly tried to abduct me. I managed to escape. Safe and with police now. Looking for support in any way possible #StopEnforcedDisappearances"

Asad Hashim, another journalist, who later joined Siddiqui, posted on Twitter that he was beaten black and blue by the men and his belongings were taken away.

He wrote: "With @TahaSSiddiqui right now. It is a miracle that he escaped. He was beaten, threatened with death and his belongings taken.This is unacceptable. Journalism is not a crime."

According to a report published by the United Nation's Press Freedom Index, Pakistan is consistently ranked low in the index. It is currently ranked 139 out of 180 countries.

The country has seen enforced disappearances of journalists in the recent days.