Tag: General News

On April 22, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) suspended the Quetta Deputy Commissioner’s directive that barred organisations and political parties from holding events at the Quetta Press Club without prior permission, terming it a violation of constitutional rights.

A two-member divisional bench comprising Justice Rozi Khan Bareech and Justice Sardar Ahmed Halimi passed the interim order during the hearing of a constitutional petition. The Deputy Commissioner’s order, dated August 27, 2024, was suspended, and the case was adjourned for one week.

During the hearing, the court observed that the restriction was in contravention of Article 19 of the Constitution, which ensures freedom of speech and expression and freedom of the press. The Assistant Advocate General (AAG), who had earlier requested time to justify the directive. In the latest hearing, the court found the response unsatisfactory. The bench directed the AAG to present a detailed report at the next hearing.

A notice was also issued to the Secretary of the Quetta Press Club to submit a report by or before the next hearing.

The now-suspended directive, issued by the DC Quetta on August 27, 2024, and addressed to the press club’s president stated that “owing to the current law and order situation,” no political party or organization was allowed to organize a conference or seminar at the Quetta Press Club without the permission of the district administration. The press club was informed that no conference or seminar could be held without a non-objection certificate (NOC) or permission from the district administration.

Photo Source: Balochistan High Court (BHC)

• April 8, 2025
• PPF Research Team

On March 28, an Islamabad district and sessions court granted post-arrest bail to journalist Waheed Murad, who was on a two-day physical remand under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016. The court approved the bail against surety bonds worth Rs20,000. The case was heard by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah.

Murad had been taken into custody on charges of allegedly posting “intimidating content” online. A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by Murad’s mother-in-law, Abida Nawaz.

A criminal complaint (First Information Report) against Murad was filed at the Federal Investigations Agency Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Islamabad under Sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber-terrorism), 20 (malicious code), and 26A (punishment for false and fake information) of PECA, 2016. The FIR stated that Murad was found sharing “highly intimidating content/post on social media/Facebook and X Corp.”

On March 28, the court asked FIA what evidence had been collected. Represented by lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, Murad’s legal team argued that his post was the words of Akhtar Mengal. “The first tweet was a statement by Akhtar Mengal,” said Chattha during the hearing. The FIA’s investigation officer stated that the post in question stated that “Baloch genocide is being committed.”

The court initially granted post-arrest bail against Rs50,000 surety but later reduced it to Rs20,000 upon the request of Murad’s counsel. Murad was released after the bonds were submitted. The court disposed of the application after an application challenging his remand in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Afzal  Majuka was withdrawn.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is deeply concerned by the manner in which Islamabad-based journalist, associated with Urdu News, Waheed Murad, was picked up from his home in Islamabad and later found to have a criminal complaint registered against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). PPF urges the relevant authorities to provide transparency in its actions and clarity of the circumstances that led to the action against Murad.  

According to Geo News, Murad was taken from his residence at 2 am on March 26. His wife said men had knocked on their door and had accused him of being an Afghan national. When he had denied and shared his ID card through the door, they had broken in, and men in black uniforms took him away. As per the report, the men also confiscated cell phones belonging to Murad and his mother-in-law. 

A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by Murad’s mother-in-law, Abida Nawaz. As per the petition, Murad was “forcibly disappeared” from his home in Sector G-8 Islamabad by “unknown officials presumably belonging to intelligence agencies and accompanied by persons in black uniforms and two police double cabin vehicles.”

The petition stated that Abida was an eye witness of the enforced disappearance and herself was manhandled by abductors. 

“It is pertinent to mention that the detenu is a journalist who has recently raised his voice for the release of another journalist, Ahmad Noorani’s two abducted brothers,” the petition read. 

The petition also notes that Murad had called a colleague, informing him about the abduction and told him that armed men were trying to enter his home. When the colleague contacted another journalist, Subhan Raja, who went to Murad’s home, he saw that a few vehicles were speeding from the scene. He was on a motorcycle and chased the vehicles to determine whether Murad was in them. While he was making a video, a vehicle hit him from behind, and he fell down. As per the petition, some “unknown armed men” got out of the car and threatened to kill Raja if he didn’t hand over his phones and their passwords. 

According to Dawn.com, Islamabad police had earlier denied having knowledge of the incident. 

In the afternoon on March 26, it was revealed that a criminal complaint (First Investigation Report) had been registered against Murad at the Federal Investigation Agency Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Islamabad. The FIR stated that Murad was found sharing “highly intimidating content/post on social media/Facebook and X Corp.”

Photo Source: Waheed Murad X 

On March 1, police forcibly entered the Quetta Press Club (QPC) premises and detained candidates who had gone inside the press club for a press conference to protest delays in their appointment letters after appearing in recruitment tests for jobs in the Balochistan Education Department. Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is alarmed by the decision of the police to enter the premises of the press club in such a manner and undermine its sanctity and independence. The press club must be able to operate without interference, which it has a right to do.

According to Dawn, a heavy police contingent, equipped with prisoner vans and water cannons, had been deployed at the press club since early in the morning to deter the protestors, and police had also arrested protestors gathered outside. When some demonstrators moved inside to hold a press conference, police stormed the building, allegedly manhandling journalists who attempted to stop the police from entering before detaining candidates.

In a joint statement, the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) and QPC management called it “a blatant attempt to curb freedom of expression.” They demanded an impartial investigation and the immediate suspension of officials involved.

“This is an unprecedented and intolerable incident. First, the district administration targeted press freedom, and now the police have emulated them. Such actions cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” the BUJ said.

The QPC said they would deliberate on the matter before deciding their next course of action.

The Karachi Press Club (KPC) also strongly condemned the incident and termed it a “violation of the sanctity of the QPC.” In a joint statement, KPC President Fazil Jamili and Secretary Sohail Afzal said: “It’s an act which has desecrated the sanctity of the press club and cannot be tolerated.”

The opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also condemned the police action, calling the incident yet another glaring example of the ongoing “reign of terror.” PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram denounced the “intolerable and unacceptable” incident stating that the “oppressive action” was not only an attack on the media but also an “assault on the freedom of expression.

On February 11, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard a petition challenging the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (Peca), 2025, and sought the assistance of the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP). 

On February 6, PFUJ President Afzal Butt, through Advocate Imran Shafique, filed a petition before the IHC arguing that the amendment law infringes on press freedom, freedom of expression, and due process and urged the court to declare it “unconstitutional and void” as well sought an “immediate injunction” to stop enforcement of the amendment, particularly against journalists. 

During the petition proceedings, lawyer Imran Shafique and Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) President Riyasat Ali Azad pointed out multiple errors in the law’s drafting. Shafique highlighted that Peca was passed hastily, with errors in legal drafting, such as duplicated and contradictory sections.  He pointed out that the new complaint authority under Peca was already established under the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) laws.

 “There are so many mistakes in the law that two definitions of ‘petitioner’ have been given,” Advocate Shafique said, adding that both were contradictory.

Azad argued that the law violated Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of speech and access to information.

“If Peca is enforced, journalists will have nothing left to report except the weather,” he remarked.

Presiding over the hearing, Justice Inaam Amin Minhas questioned the regulation of fake news. “What do you say? Should the publication of fake news be stopped or not? Fake news is indeed a problem,” he noted.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt responded that while journalists oppose misinformation, regulation should not infringe on fundamental rights. “We are against unrestricted freedom, and we are also not opposed to rules and regulations. However, rules and regulations should not contradict constitutional and human rights,” he said.

The petitioners urged the court to suspend the law, while their counsel repeatedly requested a stay order on its implementation. Justice Minhas suggested filing a separate application for the request. “If there is any issue, then let us know. We are present here,” the judge said.

The judge issued a notice to the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), Mansoor Usman Awan, for assistance in the case. The court later adjourned the hearing indefinitely.