LONDON: Former anchor and YouTuber Imran Riaz Khan has reached London after leaving Pakistan, his family confirmed to Geo News.
Riaz himself confirmed the same in a post on X, stating that his journey was treacherous, dangerous, and filled with hardships.
Last year, he had gone ‘missing’ for months before being recovered in September 2023. Despite previously claiming he would never leave Pakistan under any circumstances, he has now moved abroad.
Riaz thanked former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri for convincing him to leave Pakistan “for the sake of Pakistan.” He also shared a picture of himself in a mountainous area with visible injuries on his face.
A relative of Riaz stated, “He is a patriotic Pakistani who left the country for Pakistan. It had become impossible for him to live a normal life. He was facing serious threats to his life. He is lucky to be alive and safe. He will return to Pakistan as soon as the situation improves.”
In a social media interview, Riaz revealed that he had undergone immense hardship to safely exit Pakistan, where multiple cases had been filed against him.
He stated that he was the second person to leave Pakistan via land rather than air travel but refrained from disclosing the exact route he took.
Aware that the administration was searching for him, Riaz explained that he had to continuously upload vlogs and stay active on social media to avoid raising suspicion.
He recounted that he had to travel for several weeks on foot through mountainous and barren regions to ensure his safe exit. He also mentioned being attacked by wild animals and suffering serious injuries during his journey.
“I was accompanied by just one brave man who escorted me. I remained in contact with Qasim Suri, who stayed awake for at least four nights. I am grateful for his guidance and support throughout this time. He had also left the country via a land route,” Riaz stated.
He said he reunited with his family after a long time. “All my family members left the country over the past year. They were dislocated. I told my children that I am not happy being out of Pakistan. I will return as soon as the situation allows.”
Qasim Suri responded, expressing his relief that he and his associates were able to help Riaz reach safety.
