JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 12, 2023
Join our WhatsApp channel
In the wake of the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9, freedom of expression in Pakistan has suffered significant setbacks as internet shutdowns, attacks, and detainment of journalists and media workers have swept the country. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), have condemned the attacks on media workers and urged the Pakistani government to apprehend the perpetrators to protect working journalists.
In the days following the arrest of Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, authorities have restricted access across the country to social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, with total internet shutdowns experienced in Islamabad and other cities.
On May 9, during ongoing protests against Khan's arrest, Nisar Ali Khan, the chief executive of Chhachh News Network, was pelted with stones by PTI workers in Lahore. Khan suffered injuries across his body, including a gash on his forehead and severe bleeding. Despite further threats from protestors, intervention by journalist Malik Asif stopped any further attacks on the journalist. Khan was taken to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital to receive medical attention with assistance from his colleagues.
In Peshawar, PTI employees attacked a Dawn News team on May 9, targeting and injuring reporter Arfi Hayat and network media workers. The assailants damaged the crew’s cameras and vehicle, breaking one window, and a side mirror, and creating a large crack in the windscreen. The PTI workers similarly vandalised equipment and vehicles from Express News and Khyber News.
The Peshawar offices of national broadcaster Radio Pakistan, the country’s oldest radio station, were vandalised and partially set alight on May 10, with furniture, equipment and vehicles damaged and looted.
On May 10, journalists Syed Mustajab Hasan and Faizan Ashraf were attacked by law enforcement while filming a police raid on PTI leader Raja Mahfouz’s camp in Shamsabad. Police damaged their cameras.
Senior journalist and anchor Imran Riaz Khan and Aap Media Group founder Aftab Iqbal were arrested on May 11 for allegedly inciting violence between security forces and PTI supporters.
PFUJ President, GM Jamali, and Secretary General, Rana Muhammad Azeem, strongly condemned the attack on journalists and media workers. “The PFUJ demands that the perpetrators of these assaults be apprehended and prosecuted as soon as possible, and advocates for their arrest and subsequent imprisonment.”
The IFJ said: “Pakistan's government must take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of media workers, as required by law. The IFJ condemns the ongoing violent attacks, arrests, and harassment towards journalists and calls on both protestors and authorities to ensure the media can carry out its critical role without fear of reprisal.” —An IFJ media release/Photo: 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.