Journalist's 'disappearance' near home sparks concern, condemnation.

KARACHI -- Nafees Naeem, an assignment editor at Aaj News channel, went missing from near his home in Nazimabad on Monday afternoon and is believed to have been abducted by unknown persons traveling in a Vigo, according to police, the TV channel's administration and media organisations.

West-Zone DIG Nasir Aftab told Dawn that as per the family's statement, Nafees Naeem had left his home in Nazimabad on Monday afternoon to purchase groceries when unknown persons took him away.

The senior officer said when they received information about the incident, police immediately contacted the family and the Nazimabad SHO also visited the family home.

Police have also obtained CCTV footage from the spot and the DIG said video footage showed men in plainclothes traveling in a 4x4 Vigo apparently took away the media worker. Mr Aftab said he had personally spoken to the journalist's wife who informed him that her husband had left home at around 3.50pm to purchase chicken from a nearby poultry shop before he was taken away.

Police officer says CCTV footage shows plainclothes men picking up Nafees Naeem in white Vigo

The DIG said police have asked the family to lodge an FIR.

The officer said the journalist was not detained by the police, adding that no police station in West Zone was holding Mr Naeem.

Meanwhile, the Aaj News administration said in a statement that their assignment editor, Nafees Naeem, was taken away by plainclothes men outside his home in Nazimabad. The channel administration claimed that Mr Naeem was taken away in a police mobile whose whereabouts were unknown.

'Nafees Naeem has been associated with the channel for the last 10 years,' added the statement.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has also taken notice of the journalist's disappearance. A statement issued on Monday night said the minister had spoken to Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon and directed him to ensure Mr Naeem's swift recovery. He also assured the provincial police chief of complete cooperation from the federal authorities in this regard.

The Aaj News administration in the statement condemned the 'abduction' of their employee. 'Suppose, if Nafees Naeem had committed any illegal action, legal procedure should be adopted,' it said.

'No institution can be given right to take away any citizen without any charge...