International

Journalist's release hailed

New York June 7. The Committee to Protect Journalists has welcomed the release of the British journalist, Amardeep Bassey, by the Pakistan Government but called on the authorities to release his two Pakistani guides, Naoshad Ali Afridi and Khitab Shah Shinwari.

On May 10, Mr. Bassey, investigations editor for the British newspaper The Sunday Mercury, Mr. Afridi and Mr. Shinwari were detained at the Torkham border crossing, near Peshawar, after crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Authorities brought the three men to Peshawar, where state security agencies questioned them. Pakistani authorities detained Mr. Bassey because they said he did not have a proper stamp in his passport.

On May 25, after finding no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, local authorities issued a deportation order for Mr. Bassey and forwarded it to the Minister of the Interior's office.

However, authorities did not release Mr. Bassey until June 6. Officials have not made public any charges against the guides.

Pakistani officials told local journalists that they were suspicious of Mr. Bassey because of his Indian descent.

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