Pakistan’s popular YouTuber and TV anchor Imran Riaz Khan, regarded as a staunch critic of the powerful army, was detained allegedly by officials of the intelligence agencies at the Lahore airport on Wednesday, his lawyer claimed.

Khan, also a supporter of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was on his way to Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage.

According to his lawyer, Azhar Siddique, Khan was “kidnapped” by unidentified persons who were accompanied by policemen. He said Khan had also resisted his kidnapping but to no avail. “Khan’s kidnappers have taken him to an undisclosed location,” Saddique alleged, adding that his client has secured bail in all the fake cases registered against him and of late his name was removed from the no-fly list.

Meanwhile, Khan’s brother also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking the journalist’s safe release.

In May last year, Khan was arrested two days after violent protests broke out across Pakistan following Imran Khan’s arrest. After remaining in the custody of “unknown persons” for more than four months, he was released.

The PTI condemned his arrest, saying the incident once again represents the complete destruction of moral values in Pakistan. Taking to X, it said, “Have some sense. Your actions hurt Pakistan only. Is going to Haj now considered a crime in Pakistan?”