Javeria Siddique alleges cross-border smear campaign

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 13 June 2026 |  JP Staff Report

Javeria Siddique has accused a coordinated cross-border online smear campaign, allegedly run by a Pakistan-origin individual in London, of targeting her and journalist Samina Pasha. She says she is consulting UK lawyers and preparing legal action in Pakistan.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Journalist Javeria Siddique, widow of slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, has publicly alleged that she is facing a sustained online harassment and defamation campaign that she says is designed to damage her reputation and intimidate her as she continues to seek justice for her husband's killing.

In a detailed statement posted on X, Siddique said years of grief following Sharif's death had been compounded by threats, smears, and efforts to silence her. She said she remained focused on pursuing justice and rejected what she described as attempts to undermine her credibility through false allegations.

Allegations of coordinated online harassment

Siddique alleged that a Pakistan-origin individual based in London, whom she said she had never met, was conducting a campaign to circulate fabricated claims about her. She further stated that the same campaign was also targeting senior Pakistani journalist, anchor, analyst, and YouTuber Samina Pasha.

According to Siddique, the alleged online activity amounts to reputational attacks against journalists and should not be viewed as legitimate criticism or free expression. She argued that such campaigns can have broader implications for journalist safety, particularly when they involve sustained efforts to discredit media professionals through social media platforms.

Potential legal action in the UK and Pakistan

In her statement, Siddique said she was consulting legal counsel in the United Kingdom regarding possible legal proceedings. She also said she was preparing to pursue available remedies in Pakistan under applicable defamation and cybercrime laws.

Siddique outlined her interpretation of potential legal avenues under UK defamation legislation and Pakistani laws, including the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

I, Javeria Siddique, am the widow of late journalist Arshad Sharif. For years I have endured grief and harassment while fighting alone for justice for my husband’s killing. As a widow, the agony of losing him has been compounded by threats, smears, and attempts to silence me. I… pic.twitter.com/iukVZVsrEi

— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) June 12, 2026

Calls for attention from authorities and media groups

Siddique described the matter as a cross-border threat to journalists rather than a private dispute and called on authorities, press freedom organizations, and international bodies to pay attention to what she characterized as online attacks against media professionals.

Her statement tagged a range of Pakistani and international institutions, including law enforcement agencies, journalist organizations, and press freedom groups. As of publication, no public response from the individuals named in the allegations or from the authorities mentioned in the post had been identified.

WHY THIS MATTERS: Online harassment has become an increasingly significant challenge for journalists, particularly women journalists, who often face coordinated abuse campaigns across multiple platforms. The case also highlights the growing complexity of addressing alleged cross-border digital harassment, where legal, jurisdictional, and press freedom concerns can intersect.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on a public statement posted by Javeria Siddique on X on June 12, 2026.

PHOTO: Javeria Siddique via YouTube