[Current Affairs] July 22, 2020 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for Exam Prep

2 – Missing journalist recovered

What’s going on? Prominent reporter, Matiullah Jan, went missing after a dozen unidentified men detained him outside a govt school in Islamabad. This happened in broad daylight. A video of him being intercepted and forced into another vehicle was caught on CCTV footage. He was released late Tuesday after 12 hours. He appears to be unharmed and in stable condition. While speaking to a private news channel, Jan said he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location. He was let go in Fateh Jang after being driven around the city.

The details: Jan hosts a YouTube political commentary channel called MJtv. He is known for his outspoken political commentary and criticism of Pakistan’s military. He’s not a fan of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s govt either. Last week, the Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice to Jan for criticizing the judiciary in a tweet. His hearing was scheduled to take place this week.

Tell me more: Information Minister Shibli Faraz claimed that Jan had been kidnapped. Amnesty International South Asia expressed concerns about Jan’s fate and wellbeing after he disappeared. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) demanded Jan’s safe recovery. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wants authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into Jan’s disappearance. Govt officials took notice of the alleged abduction. Members of the opposition condemned the incident and told the govt to ensure his safe return.

The bottom line: Journalists in Pakistan are continuously under threat. HRCP’s Chairperson, Mehdi Hasan, called out alleged attempts to control the media, suppress independent voices, and curb political dissent.

3 – Saying goodbye to Sister Ruth Lewis:

77-year-old Sister Ruth Lewis was in charge at Darul Sukoon in Karachi, an organization that provides housing and shelter to differently-abled people. She passed away after contracting COVID-19. She had been hospitalized since July 9. Around 21 children at Darul Sukoon were infected with the virus, but Sister Lewis put her own life at risk and continued to treat them. The Sindh govt will reportedly handle the cost of her treatment, and help set up quarantine wards at Darul Sukoon. The Sindh govt also issued a grant of PKR 25 million, along with protective gear and medicine. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto, wrote a condolence message. Sister Lewis was highly respected for being a dedicated humanitarian.

4 – TikTok dancing on thin ice:

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned Bigo, and issued a final notice to Chinese owned video-sharing app, TikTok. People have complained about immoral, obscene, and vulgar content on both apps. Earlier this month, PTA also temporarily suspended online game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), for being addictive, a waste of time, and detrimental to the physical and psychological health of children. In 2016, Pakistan’s parliament gave PTA broad authority to block content considered to be against “the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or…public order, decency or morality.” PTA has blocked more than 800,000 websites and platforms across the country. Science and Tech Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, spoke up and said this banning culture was “killing the tech industry.”

5 – If you’re the game master for a virtual quarantine quiz, here’s a question you can ask: Who is the ninth most-followed world leader on Twitter? Hint, he’s Pakistani.