Pakistan: Seraiki journalist Razish Liaqatpuri arrested under terrorism charges

Lahore: Police in Pakistan's Punjab province has arrested a senior journalist under terrorism charges for terming the "murder of Punjabi officers legal".

Razish Liaqatpuri, a former editorial in-charge of daily Khabrian and writer of several books, was arrested on Saturday.

Liaqatpuri belongs to Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 km from Lahore.

The journalist has also been booked under different sections of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

"Police have booked and arrested journalist and author Razish Liaqatpuri under terrorism and other charges for making a post on his Facebook account terming the murder of Punjabi officers legal and calling for a new province in Punjab -- Seraikistan -- free from the clutches of Punjabi administration," a police officer said on Monday.

The family of Liaqatpuri and the journalist community of Liaqatpur alleged that he was taken into custody in a raid by police three days back.

However, they kept him in illegal detection at an unknown place and did not show his arrest until Saturday night while no case was registered until Sunday. They alleged that he was being victimised for raising voice for the Seraiki language, Dawn newspaper reported.

The activists of south belt of Punjab province believe that the central Punjab ruling elite is exploiting the resources of the south, therefore, the region did not progress. They think creation of Seraikistan is a solution to the problems of the people of south Punjab.