JournalismPakistan.com | Published January 23, 2020
Join our WhatsApp channel
A Pakistani journalist critical of the government and the army has been detained for five days for having published "anti-state" comments online, his lawyer told AFP Tuesday, in a new illustration of shrinking freedoms in Pakistan.
Azhar-ul Haq Wahid, who worked for a small television and newspaper with a limited readership, made several comments about the Pakistani establishment on his Facebook account.
He recently wrote that a court decision to lift the death penalty on former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had "mocked" the constitution.
A police report said "anti-state and defamatory material against the public functionaries and state departments" was noted on his Facebook account, according to a copy seen by AFP.
Wahid was arrested last Thursday in the eastern city of Lahore, and has been in custody since. His lawyer Mian Dawood said a court must decide his bail later this week.
The arrest "is only to threaten the freedom of media" which has faced "blatant censorship for last three years in Pakistan", Dawood told AFP.
It is "clearly another attempt to intimidate journalists who refuse to be censored," said the head of the Asia-Pacific office of Reporters Without Borders Daniel Bastard, asking the Pakistani justice "dismiss the charges against Wahid and free him at once.
Pakistan has long been one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, once caught between Islamist militants and the powerful security establishment.
However security has dramatically improved in recent years. Now Pakistani media complain of increasing censorship and pressure by the military establishment.
In 2018 the Committee to Protect Journalists noted that the military had "quietly but effectively" imposed strict limits on the scope of general news reporting.—AFP
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.