JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 15, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the National Union of Journalists (India) have expressed serious concerns over press freedom violations by state and non-state parties in the ongoing protests in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The IFJ condemned the press freedom violations in Kashmir and urged the security forces and demonstrators to refrain from attacking journalists and to show respect to rights of journalists who are attempting to report the reality amidst a communication blockade and threats from all sides.
According to reports, journalists and photojournalists are being subjected to attacks and harassment on a daily basis since the unrest began on July 8. At least four major incidents of press freedom violation were reported in the first week of September.
On September 3, two photojournalists Muzamil Mattoo of the Kashmir Reader and Zuhaib Maqbool of an online news portal, were injured by the pellets fired by the security forces on a procession at Rainawari, Old Srinagar. Matoo sustained pellet injuries in head, back and arm, while Maqbool was hit in the eye and needed surgery. “A policeman who saw us taking photos fired pellets directly at us,” Mattoo told his newspaper.
A day earlier on September 2, the Jammu Kashmir Armed Police force thrashed at least half-a-dozen photojournalists at Batamaloo in Srinagar while they were on duty. Mubashir Khan (Greater Kashmir), Aman Farooq (Greater Kashmir), Faisal Khan (Kashmir Reader), Shah Jahangir (CNS), Omar Asif (KNS), and Bilal Bahadur (Kashmir Life) were assaulted and thrashed by government forces. Following the thrashing, the journalists staged a sit-in protest against the police action.
“We were cane charged by policemen after we asked them to allow us to film the scenes of curfew in the interiors of Batamaloo,” said Khan, who was quoted in a report. “We were beaten despite producing our curfew passes.”
Similarly, on September 1, TV journalist Ishfaq Gowhar of J-K Media Network Group, a leading cable TV provider, was first stopped by protesters near Naaz Crossing in Srinagar and after convincing them when he moved ahead the Central Reserve Police Force men deployed there attacked his vehicle (JK0AB/0733) and damaged it.
Earlier, Danish Bin Nabi of the Rising Kashmir was thrashed by protestors at the SMHS hospital where he went to report on the victims of police firing. Other journalists who went to report also faced the same fate.
In the evening of August 17, Sumaiya Yousuf, 25, a reporter with Rising Kashmir said she was accosted by the police in Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar when she was buying vegetables on the way home after filing her story. Despite showing them her press identity card, she was abused and beaten. Following her complaint, action has yet to be taken against the perpetrators.
The IFJ said: “The IFJ condemns the attacks on journalists and express serious concerns over the situation of press freedom in Kashmir, in ongoing civil unrest. We demand that the government not only allow journalists to report freely but also to ensure their protection. The IFJ expresses solidarity with journalists in the region and request them to follow safety measures while reporting the unrest.” - IFJ media release
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.