JournalismPakistan.com | Published January 14, 2021
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD—A book on Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists’ eventful odyssey spanning seven decades is due for launch soon.
“From Layoffs to Lashes: PFUJ’s 70-year Fight for Media Freedom,” marks the union’s 70th anniversary.
No other body can match what PFUJ has achieved since its inception in 1950. It took on three military rulers—Generals Ayub Khan, Ziaul Haq, and Pervez Musharraf—and lived to tell its tales of defiance, long after the dictators met their fate. It worked tirelessly for media freedom and expression throughout its long journey.
PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi said the book documents several eye-opening events during PFUJ's struggle for press freedom.
Comprising over 50 chapters, more than 20 of them in English, the book has more than 500 pages. It chronicles the sacrifices rendered by journalists for press freedom in the 1970s and brings on record the strong-arm tactics employed by the establishment to silence independent-minded journalists.
Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas has compiled and formulated the book under a PFUJ project. Nizamuddin Siddiqui edited the English chapters, and Waris Raza did the Urdu editing.
The book, printed by the Karachi Union of Journalists, has chapters on the torchbearers of PFUJ’s campaigns like M.A. Shakoor, Asrar Ahmed, Minhaj Barna, and Nisar Osmani. It also highlights the national union’s efforts for improving the working and economic conditions of journalists.
Notable among the PFUJ campaigns were 1970, 1978, and 2007, during which journalists called strikes, held rallies and demonstrations, and even courted arrest. As a result, they were incarcerated and even flogged on the orders of military courts.
On other occasions, many were sacked by the management of their organizations. In short, they suffered physical hardships and economic deprivation.
“PFUJ played a leading role in defending the freedom of expression, economic rights of workers, and civil liberties throughout the 70 years of its existence,” the PFUJ leaders said.
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.