Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday ordered an inquiry into a raid carried out by Islamabad police at the National Press Club (NPC), where several journalists were allegedly attacked.
Visuals aired on private TV news channal showed policemen armed with batons attacking journalists on the press club premises. Visuals shared on social media also showed police dragging journalists out of what appeared to be the cafeteria.
Another showed a journalist holding his broken Nikon camera and his shirt ripped across the back.
A statement issued by Naqvi stated that he had taken notice of the “unfortunate” incident and demanded a report from the Islamabad inspector general of police.
“Violence against the journalist community cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” he was quoted as saying. “Disciplinary action must be taken against officials involved in the incident,” he said.
‘ACT OF TERROR’
CPNE, PFUJ and AEMEND strongly condemned the police raid on Islamabad Press Club and the violent assault on journalists, denouncing the incident as an act of terrorism. They demand that the government take immediate action against all those responsible.
The journalist organizations described the incident as part of a continuing series of repeated actions targeting members of the press. In their statement they drew attention to recent government advertisements circulated in national and regional media under the heading “Have you ever wondered what war looks like now?” These ads employ threatening language and effectively place media affiliated reporters, freelancers and civil society groups on a list of persons portrayed as hostile to the state. The clear purpose of this campaign is to smear journalists’ reputations, intimidate them and suppress freedom of expression. The ads must be withdrawn immediately.
The statement further noted that to liken reporters and freelancers who have performed responsibly during the conflict in the national interest and with due regard for Pakistan’s territorial integrity to terrorists is a flagrant violation of the principles of a free press. The organizations emphasized that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees every citizen unobstructed access to information. Responsible Pakistani media have consistently prioritized national security while ensuring that accurate information reaches the public. The joint press release also highlighted that arbitrary and excessive use of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) has confirmed the organizations’ concerns. Dozens of journalists across the country have had cases registered against them under PECA. This law is being used as a pretext to silence government critics and to curtail freedom of expression through every available means.
At the same time, the journalist bodies reiterated that they have always firmly condemned any baseless, malicious, false or fabricated news spread for personal gain, and that they support discouraging those responsible through proper forums. However, creating a deliberate atmosphere of fear and harassment under the guise of such concerns is entirely unacceptable.
The organizations vowed to resist these measures at every level and to pursue all constitutional and legal options to protect press freedom and the safety of journalists.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar called the incident “regrettable” in a statement, vowing that a comprehensive investigation would be carried out.
“Interior Minister Naqvi did not order police to enter the press club,” he was quoted as saying. “The National Press Club is my home and I stand with it,” he said.
Journalist Shiraz Gardezi, who is associated with Geo News and also the senior joint secretary of the NPC, shared an account of the raid.
Gardezi said the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee – which has also been holding demonstrations in Azad Kashmir – had issued a call for a protest at the press club. “As soon as the demonstration began, they surrounded the protesters,” he narrated.
Gardezi, who was at the NPC to cover the protest, said police stopped them from doing so. “Because they were torturing, beating and dragging people,” he alleged, adding that they even tried to snatch mobile phones and cameras from some of the journalists.
According to him, they even dragged and tried to take away some of the journalists with them but they who were let go after some other journalists intervened.
“We then asked the journalists to stay on the back foot and keep themselves safe,” he said.
Later, he continued, “we heard loud bangs on the door while sitting inside the press club. They kicked the doors open and stormed inside”.
Shirazi narrated that police broke various things in the cafeteria and “beat and tortured” people. This time, too, they tried to take away some journalists but they were “rescued”.
The incident sparked outrage on social media as journalists decried the assault. In a post on X, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the “assault on journalists by Islamabad police” at the National Press Club.
“HRCP strongly condemns the raid on the National Press Club and [the] assault on journalists by the Islamabad police,” the rights group wrote in a post on X. “We demand an immediate inquiry and those responsible brought to book.”
Journalist Hamid Mir stated that police were trying to arrest members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and that they had “targeted journalists present in the cafeteria”.
“This is totally uncalled for and condemnable,” said journalist Syed Talat Hussain.
“As if there aren’t enough fronts open. To treat the National Press Club as a criminal hideout and then use violence on its premises is madness without any method,” he said.
Journalist Matiullah Jan condemned the incident in a post on X, calling it “extremely shameful and condemnable”.
“This incident is [a product] of the incompetence and cowardice of the club administration,” Jan wrote. “The press club is the home of journalists, where it is disgraceful for the police to barge into the cafeteria with batons and attack people,” he said.
Journalist Anas Mallick, who works with TV channel Asia One, alleged that police had raided the club to arrest Kashmiri journalists covering a “call to protest” by the JAAC, adding that the police were “acting like thugs”.
Journalist Zebunnisa Burki called visuals emerging from the raid “insane” and added that journalists were being attacked by police inside the press club itself.