KARACHI, 24 June 2006 — The civil judge Jacobabad, Hafiz Atta-ur-Rehman, granted bail to two journalists here yesterday. Authorities freed the journalists yesterday three months after they were detained for filming an air base once used by coalition forces for operations in Afghanistan, their defense lawyer and an official said. Mukesh Rupeta, a reporter with Pakistan’s independent channel Geo TV, and assistant cameraman Sanjev Kumar were detained on March 6 for filming at the Jacobabad’s Shahbaz Airbase in southern Sindh province. A case had been registered against the two men for filming the airbase and forging identity cards and passports.
Rupeta told reporters after the hearing that he wanted to film the planes flying from the air base after residents reported hearing “strange sounds.” “I sent my cameraman just to take footage of the flying planes. But he mistakenly entered the prohibited area. It was simply a mistake — and should be pardoned.” he said.
