Daily Times

As many as eight journalists have been attacked in the twin cities during the first six months of this year.

As per sources, these incidents of life threats issued journalists have also been reported at National Press Club-Journalist Safety Hub to date.

According to Journalists Safety Hub data, journalists were assaulted in five different incidents while three journalists’ residences were attacked.

In two different incidents, Rawalpindi Police raided the residences of journalists and harassed their family members.

In a similar development, two unidentified persons tried entering the house of a journalist.

On May 20, Rawalpindi Sadiq Abbad Police officials Raja Hamaad, Muhammad Awais and Raja Saeed raided the house of broadcast journalist Tahir Naseer at the pretext of the search operation. He along with his family members was also harassed.

Naseer said that police officials raided his house because of his regular tweets on crimes in Rawalpindi.

He added, “I have filed a complaint against the police officials and for registration of FIR with CPO and also lodged a complaint at Prime Minister Complaint Portal, CPO office staff called me three to four times and each time they asked me to wait for almost three to four hours only to torture me.”

“After the adverse behaviour of the police, I opted against pursuing my application further. FIR of the incident is not registered as yet,” he noted.

In a separate incident, a police party led by Banni Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) and Sub-Inspector Ahsan Kiyani stormed into the house of a senior journalist, Shahid Sultan, at 2:30 am on May 23. They held his whole family hostage, threatened and humiliated them at gunpoint.

After the police had thoroughly abused and terrorised the journalist’s family, including young girls and his mother, they realised their mistake and left the house, without even offering a word of apology to the terror-struck family.

After the intervention of Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO), the First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was registered against the police officials.

According to the Pakistan Press Foundation’s (PPF) report titled, “State of Pakistani Media in 2018,” Pakistan was declared one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media persons. The country was said to have witnessed murders of 72 journalists since 2002. Except for five cases, most of these fatalities still remained unsolved and perpetrators remained unpunished. Successive governments seemed reluctant to probe the murders of journalists.

Senior journalist Anwar Bangash said the lack of rule of law was the basic cause behind the attacks on journalists. In most of the cases whenever any journalist wrote against the official narrative, he would have to face attacks or harassment in different ways.

Moreover, extremist groups and political parties also targeted journalists either to stop them from exposing politicians or for their political interests.

He maintained these attacks did not only take place in Pakistan but were a worldwide practice. In India, BJP workers often attacked journalists if they reported an issue that affected their political strength.

A news agency reporter Abid Minhas was hit by a car near I-8, Islamabad, wherein he sustained injuries on his legs, arms, shoulder and feet. However, he also refused to launch an FIR, saying that police did not follow journalists’ safety-related cases.

A public university lecturer Arshad Ali said that the nature of threats to journalists varied from region to region. In the erstwhile FATA (tribal districts), militant organisations used to threaten and attack journalists who dared report the narrative. Meanwhile, security agencies also forced them to not report any issues. In such situations, journalists are targeted from both sides.

Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) President Amir Sajjad Syed said that it was not necessary to lodge the FIR of each incident but journalists should at least report the incident.

To a question, he asserted, the union stood with its members through thick and thin but unfortunately, when the union waged call for protests, community members did not actively participate in such activities.

The president said the union offered legal aid, including a free lawyer, to its members if needed by anyone.