JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 05, 2017
Join our WhatsApp channelThe International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Monday expressed serious concerns over the attempt to abduct a television journalist in Islamabad on Friday, June 2.
The IFJ demanded a thorough investigation to arrest those involved in the abduction attempt.
Azaz Syed, a senior journalist with Geo TV, said he was intercepted by a masked motorbike-borne individual at Park Road on Friday evening while he was returning home. A car with the suspected kidnappers was following him closely and the suspects asked him to come out of the car but he sped into a nearby police station to take shelter.
This is not the first attack on Azaz Syed. In 2010, unknown men attacked his house, locked the main gate from outside and smashed the windows of his vehicle.
Journalists unions, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), have condemned the abduction bid calling for journalists’ solidarity to resist such incidents.
“The IFJ is seriously concerned by the attempt to abduct journalist Azaz Syed in Islamabad, the capital. This incident once again shows the risky condition in which the journalists work. Pakistan has long been one of the most dangerous countries in the world and sadly the government had done nothing concrete to improve the safety situation for media and journalists.” – IFJ media release/Image: Azaz Syed (Facebook)
February 09, 2025: Hum News Network becomes the first Pakistani channel to embrace AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, enhancing productivity and innovation. Discover how this visionary move sets new standards in media.
February 08, 2025: As Pakistan faces an economic crisis, the government splurges taxpayers' money on full-page ads and press releases to glorify its achievements. Critics call it a wasteful PR stunt. Read how public funds are being misused for political propaganda.
February 07, 2025: PTV pensioners staged nationwide protests demanding their unpaid pensions, medical benefits, and dues for nearly 400 retirees. Protesters, supported by PFUJ, criticized PTV management for corruption and lavish expenses while neglecting retirees' rights.
February 06, 2025: PFUJ has challenged the controversial PECA Act 2025 in the Islamabad High Court, citing it as an attack on press freedom. Journalists and rights organizations protest the law’s implications for free speech and media independence in Pakistan.
February 06, 2025: Pakistani women journalists like Munizae Jahangir and Asma Shirazi face severe threats, harassment, and online abuse. This article explores the struggles of women in media, the systemic challenges, and potential solutions to ensure press freedom and journalist safety.
January 29, 2025: As the White House welcomes podcasters and digital journalists, Pakistan tightens censorship through PECA amendments, silencing independent voices and forcing journalists into exile. A stark contrast in press freedom emerges.
January 29, 2025: Pakistan’s latest PECA amendments expand government control over social media, criminalize misinformation, and threaten freedom of expression. Media stakeholders and human rights groups condemn the draconian changes. Learn more about the implications for journalists and activists.
January 28, 2025: The Forum for Digital Rights and Democracy has raised concerns over the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, highlighting its risks to free speech, democratic values, and digital rights in Pakistan.
February 09, 2025 The Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship 2025 is open for applications! This prestigious program at Columbia University offers journalists an intensive seminar on trauma reporting, media ethics, and responsible journalism. Apply by March 3, 2025.
February 07, 2025 Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.
February 05, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Indian government to stop targeting independent journalism after revoking the nonprofit and tax-exempt statuses of The Reporters’ Collective and The File. Learn how this impacts investigative reporting and media freedom in India.
February 04, 2025 Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has opened a criminal case for disclosure of state secrets following Ukrainska Pravda’s report on statements by military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. CPJ urges authorities to respect press freedom and journalist protections.
February 03, 2025 Cambodian journalists Duong Akhara and Lay Socheat have been detained on incitement charges after publishing a video allegedly showing torture in a cyberscam center. Press freedom advocates call for their immediate release.