ISLAMABAD: The Coalition For Women In Journalism on Saturday expressed alarm at the recent detention of rights activist Gulalai Ismael and her colleagues without prior notice or reason. “We believe that Gulalai was targeted for speaking up about issues that have been a seed of contention between the state and dwindling community of rights defenders and free speech in Pakistan, the coalition said in a statement a day after the rights activist was briefly detained by authorities on her arrival in Pakistan. Gulalai was stopped at immigration as her name appeared to be on the Exit Control List. “Without offering any corresponding reason”, the authorities took Gulalai in custody. She was allowed to leave after several hours with her parents when her father stood as a personal guarantor.” Gulalai runs a non-government organisation (NGO), Aware Girls in Pakistan, and most of her work revolves around the support for women and girls. “She was detained for her rather recent vocal support of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM). In the hours of her detention, her core work for women was neither mentioned nor acknowledged. Instead the authorities identified her as a supporter of the PTM, and her presence in their rally at Swabi was cited as a possible issue of concern. This is starkly symbolic of how the state narrows down on who they want to harass, and for which affiliation,” the statement said. “The incident itself once again reflects the heightened efforts by the state, to suppress dissent. We at the Coalition for Women In Journalism, are concerned that this kind of harassment is becoming ubiquitous. Journalists, bloggers and rights defenders are unable to critique any move by the various state institutions, without suffering any backlash.” It added, “The dominant narrative is muting out alternative voices, be they of human rights defenders, journalists or civil society organizations working in the areas of advocacy and awareness of civic rights and responsibilities, political awakening and legal rights.” “This has led to not just a culture of being watchful of expressing the truth or criticism for fear of reprisals, it has served to muzzle press freedom through the most insidious form of curbs in the shape of self censorship. Such an environment has directly affected journalists who are facing cases of treason, while other persons, who come under those sections of the law, roam free.” The coalition went on to say that the incident was indicative of the “trying times” citizens of Pakistan were living in where “fundamental rights of freedom of expression, and movement were being curbed without assigning any reason”. With Gulalai’s incident in focus, the coalition condemned the treatment being meted out to upright, outspoken journalists performing their professional duties. “This shrinking space for expression will stifle discourse, and give way to unhealthy repressive practices in society. We also demand an investigation into the Gulalai incident. We would urge the authorities to reveal who ordered her detention and under what protocol was this made permissible in the absence of any evidence.” Published in Daily Times, October 14th 2018.