Mian Sami ud-Din

To civil society, journalists, and state officials: I am writing as a grieving wife, seeking the immediate and lawful release of my husband, Muhammad Saad. At approximately 3:30 AM this Monday, 12–13 masked men with guns forcibly entered our home and took him away without presenting any warrant or lawful authority. This was an unlawful deprivation of liberty and a direct violation of due process. Only after legal pressure did personnel within CTD register an FIR on laughable grounds. This post facto action raises serious concerns of mala fide intent and abuse of process, where the law is invoked after the fact to justify an illegal act. Saad is a journalist, researcher, and Political Science scholar. His work engages with complex subjects, including Balochistan, Kashmir, and international affairs. He has interviewed recognised public figures such as Former Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar, as well as senior journalists Sohail Warraich and Hamid Mir, and has introduced major international voices to Pakistan’s media space. More importantly, Saad has worked with state institutions when called upon, contributing to areas aligned with the national interest. He was vetted, cleared, and entrusted by the State. Today, that same individual is being subjected to coercive action by its functionaries. This contradiction is not incidental but structural. If individuals who have been vetted and trusted by the state can be subjected to arbitrary detention and retrospective criminalisation, then the question is unavoidable: on what basis does the state expect trust from its citizens? The actions of certain personnel within CTD constitute a clear overreach of authority. Powers granted for public safety cannot be exercised in violation of constitutional safeguards, including the inviolability of the home and the right to due process. The law does not permit enforced taking into custody followed by procedural reconstruction. Saad has never engaged with any proscribed material nor been involved in any unlawful activity. His life and work have remained within the bounds of law and intellectual inquiry. I call upon civil society, the media, and responsible state authorities to take immediate cognisance of this case. Ensure due process. Examine the legality of the initial detention. Hold those responsible accountable. And ensure his safe and immediate release. This is not just about one individual. It is about law and dignity. It is about giving hope to others who have worked for the state and Pakistan whenever called upon, who have trusted the state against all odds. This youth must be protected and safeguarded within a shrinking demographic that believe in state and that is increasingly disillusioned and disenfranchised. #ReleaseSaad #RuleofLaw