FN Threat Data Analysis – January 2019
Three cases – one each of injuries and legal – were recorded in January 2019 – the lowest ever threat cases against journalists monitored and documented since February 2017 across Pakistan under Pakistan Press Club Safety Hub Network, managed by award-winning media watchdog organisation Freedom Network.
Islamabad-based press freedom organisation Freedom Network is assisting journalists at risks in four different categories in partnership with eight press clubs in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Islamabad and Peshawar besides Khuzdar in Balochistan, Landikotal and Sukkur under Pakistan Press Club Safety Hub Network programme since February 2016.
All the three cases were reported from Punjab province whereas no case was reported from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
INJURED: Koh-e-Noor TV channel crew came under attack in Lahore on January 15 during professional duty as employees of massage centres attacked them. Cameraman XXXX was reported injured in the attack. Local police instead registered a case against the crewmembers for “breaching” public privacy. The TV crew team denied the allegation and said they were doing report on these centres.
LEGAL CASE: Gujranwala police in Punjab province lodged First Information Report against local newspaper ‘Divisional Time’ editor Malik Tauseef Kashmiri and his colleague Muhammad Rafique for filming police baton-charging protesting crowd on January 10. The coverage angered the police who stopped the journalists from covering the police action. Later, police lodged FIR against the journalists, according to journalist Malik Tauseef Butt. The police charged the journalists with “interference” in police duty, according to the FIR.
ATTACK ON HOME: Umer Shaikh reporter of Daily Khabrain, Islamabad, said that around 10:30pm on January 25 around five unknown men tried to enter his house in F Block, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi. Luckily, the gate was locked. The unknown men fled the scene after they sensed other residents got alerted by their presence outside the main gate these men run away in their car. The journalist called “15” and emergency police reached the scene. An FIR was registered against unknown persons.
PEMRA ACTIONS:
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) served a show-cause notice on Neo TV channel for “indecent and objectionable language” while issued “advice” to all satellite TV Channels to “not air sub judice matters and avoid “objectionable content” in morning shows.
Threats, Attacks & Harassment against Various Types of Media
The two cases of violations reported against journalists included a TV and a print journalist.
Threat Actors Attacking and Harassing Journalists and Media
The alleged threat actors who were involved in the two reported cases included police and employees of massage centres.