JournalismPakistan.com | Published March 06, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
LAHORE - The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed grave alarm over attacks on media organizations and journalists last Friday by mobs protesting the execution of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer’s murderer.
The Commission demanded that all those who had instigated and carried out the violence to intimidate the media must be brought to justice. In a statement issued on Saturday, HRCP said that while it welcomed condemnation of these attacks by the prime minister, Punjab and Sindh chief ministers and other officials and their vows of protecting media freedoms, words alone could not assuage the fears of Pakistani media, which had been under attack from many quarters for years.
“The attacks on the media in Karachi, Hyderabad and Lahore on Friday are indeed attempts to curb freedom of expression. This is not the first time that the quarters wishing to dictate through violence what the media out or ought not cover have struck.
"HRCP is strongly opposed to any attempt by state or non-state actors to influence or harass the media into submission. Friday’s attacks must receive more than mere condemnation from the official quarters. We call upon the authorities to make sure that all those who orchestrated and carried out the attacks on the media on Friday must be effectively prosecuted under the law. Steps to ensure security for media from such attacks must also be taken in consultation with media and journalists’ organizations.
“The media organizations and journalists and the larger civil society should close their ranks against new threats in addition to the many perils they already face on account of their work.” - HRCP
Related post from JournalismPakistan.com Archives:
HRCP urges government to ensure journalists' security
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.