Punjab & KP remain most dangerous areas for journalists

Quarterly Threats Report (January–March 2026)

ISLAMABAD: 22 May 2026: The first three months of 2026 – January to March – recorded 18 different cases of threats against journalists across Pakistan with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces documenting most cases, according to media watchdog Freedom Network quarterly threat assessment review report.

These cases were recorded under multiple threat categories, including threat of legal action (five cases), threat of harm (two cases), assault resulting in injury (two cases), arrest (three cases), detention (two cases), assault without injury (one case), actual legal action (one case), murder (one case), and attacks on home/ property/ assets of journalist (one case).

The notable trend during the first quarter of 2026 was the continued use of legal frameworks and the state-led actions, with state actors involved in 14 cases out of 18, making them the most prominent threat actors, according to the quarterly threat assessment review report.

“This assessment is an eye-opener for all of us and necessitates the demand for the country’s legal frameworks’ reforms to protect freedom of expression and allow media and its practitioners work without fears and intimidation and financial strangulation,” Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak said, according to a press release issued here on 22 May 2026.

Geographically, Punjab emerged as the most dangerous province for journalists with eight cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with five cases and Sindh and Balochistan with two cases each, Islamabad Capital Territory with one case,while, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir did not join the list of violations during the first quarter of 2026.

This report provides an analytical overview of emerging trends, regional challenges, gender breakdown, and key threat patterns affecting independent and professional journalism in Pakistan.

Methodology

Freedom Network used the data based on verified monitoring and documentation of incidents reported across Pakistan through Pakistan Press Club Safety Hubs Network, a program Freedom Network has been managing since 2016. In collaboration with the country’s six largest press clubs; Lahore, Multan, Quetta, Peshawar, Gilgit, and AJK. The program monitors and documents violations against media organizations, journalists, and media workers, while also providing essential support to journalists at risk through Pakistan Journalists Safety Fund. Freedom Network is engaging Punjab government to work together along with other primary stakeholders such as Lahore Press Club and Punjab Union of Journalists through Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition – a civil society-led initiative to bring all stakeholders together for combating impunity for crimes against journalists in different provinces, including Punjab, to transform “Punjab Journalists Protection Coordination Committee” into a legal framework.

Earlier this month, a meeting with Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan was held in Lahore to discuss tabling a bill to pass provincial law for protection of journalists in the province and the speaker stood in solidarity with other stakeholders to play his due role in this regard.

Freedom Network maintains close coordination with local journalists, press clubs, unions, and other media stakeholders to collect incident reports and verify facts through direct outreach, field-level sources, and credible media monitoring. All documented incidents are reviewed and categorized according to Freedom Network’s established threat classification framework, which includes categories such as legal threats, arrests, detention, assaults, digital threats, and other forms of intimidation.

One of the most serious incidents during this quarter was the murder of journalist Shahzad Gujjar, district reporter for Naya Daur in Layyah district, Punjab province. He was allegedly shot dead by members of a timber mafia because of his reporting on illegal activities. His brother was also killed in the attack, and four family members were injured.

Another major trend during this quarter was the use of legal and cybercrime laws against journalists. Arshad Sanga, Qaisar Ejaz Toba Sial, and Awardin Mehsood faced legal notices, arrests, or cases after reporting on issues of public interest.

Among the 18 documented threat cases involved majority of male journalists. However, one case involving women journalists was also recorded during the quarter. The incident involved the arrest of three women journalists: Ismat Jabeen, Sehresh Qureshi, and Farhat Fatima, during the Aurat March in Islamabad on 8 March 2026. Reports also raised concerns regarding alleged mistreatment during their detention.

Notable Incidents / Case Studies

Several serious incidents documented during the quarter illustrate the range and severity of threats faced by journalists and media workers across Pakistan.

In Balochistan, journalist Maqbool Ahmed Jaffar was reportedly picked up and questioned by unidentified individuals believed to be linked to security agencies, while in Karachi, journalist Bilal Ghauri was briefly detained and prevented from boarding an international flight under mysterious circumstances.

Physical violence also remained a major concern. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, senior journalist Qazi Abdul Rauf was allegedly assaulted by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials and his vehicle was vandalized, while in Sindh, journalist A.B. Arisar was attacked and injured while covering a forced eviction dispute.

“I was intercepted by CTD officials, my vehicle was vandalized, and I was physically assaulted while in custody,” Abdul Rauf spoke with Freedom Network to describe the situation he faced unexpectedly while reporting.

The CTD is new anti-terrorism investigation arm of the provincial police in Pakistan. However, Freedom Network is receiving more cases linking the department to violations of journalists’ rights

Digital restrictions were also recorded during the first quarter, including temporary blocking of website of independent digital media platform Lok Sujag in Lahore, highlighting the vulnerability of digital media outlets to online censorship and interference.

These incidents reflect an ongoing pattern of physical violence, legal intimidation, arbitrary detention, and digital restrictions against journalists and media organizations in Pakistan.

Threat Actors

Threat actors identified in the first quarter of 2026 included state authorities, non-state actors, political parties, criminal gangs, unknown groups, and other actors.

Out of the 18 documented cases, the majority involved State actors, accounting for 14 cases (78%).

The breakdown of threat actors is as follows:

• State actors: 14 cases (78%)
• Non-state actors : 1 case (6%)
• Political parties: 1 case (6%)
• Unknown actors/groups: 1 case (6%)
• Other actors: 1 case (6%)

This shows that state institutions and authorities remained the main source of threats to journalists during the quarter

Recommendation

Freedom Network calls on all stakeholders to coordinate their efforts to reverse the situation and bring perpetrators of crimes against media and its practitioners to justice. It also urged the federal and provincial governments to include protection of journalists and respect to free press in “Good Governance Roadmap” to attain goals under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.