JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 11, 2012 | Kamran Yousafzai
Join our WhatsApp channel
CHARSADDA—Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district of Charsadda baton-charged journalists covering a protest against power load-shedding Friday (May 11) that left at least two media persons injured.
Among the injured were Siraj Ali, a cameraman for Geo TV, and reporter Sher Ali Khan, who works for NewsOne channel. The injured were rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, where they received medical treatment for their injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that the journalists were performing their duty of reporting the protest when the police suddenly started baton-charging the crowd, indiscriminately hitting both protesters and media personnel.
The protest had erupted in response to the persistent power outages that have plagued the region, severely disrupting daily life and economic activities. Frustrated residents took to the streets, blocking the M-1 Motorway and damaging several vehicles as a way to draw attention to their plight. The situation quickly escalated, leading to a violent confrontation between the protesters and the police.
Journalists' associations have condemned the police action, calling it an attack on the freedom of the press. They demanded an immediate inquiry into the incident and called for measures to ensure the safety of journalists covering protests and other high-risk events.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
November 28, 2024: Senior journalist Matiullah Jan has been abducted in Islamabad while investigating PTI protest deaths. Rights lawyers have filed a habeas corpus petition as charges of drug possession and terrorism spark outrage.
May 26, 2022: PTI supporters attack Jang/Geo offices in Islamabad & other cities amid D-Chowk protests—DSNG vans damaged, stones hurled amid anti-media slogans. Political-media tensions escalate.
May 16, 2022: Journalist Zahid Abbas Malik disappears in Lahore amid suspected agency involvement. PFUJ, press clubs demand action as nationwide protests loom over Pakistan's press freedom crisis.
April 30, 2022: DawnNews anchor Adil Shahzeb faces death threats & harassment, allegedly from PTI leaders. Journalists rally behind him as #JournalismIsNotACrime trends. Details on the escalating media safety crisis.
April 17, 2022: PTI supporters harass journalists, including women reporters, at Imran Khan's Karachi rally. Samaa TV's Zam Zam Saeed shares footage of abuse—cameraman injured, shirts torn. Media outcry grows.
March 15, 2022: Haripur Press Club President Zakir Tanoli attacked by masked assailants—struck with knives and pistol butts after chili powder assault. Journalists demand immediate action.
February 16, 2022: FIA arrests journalist Mohsin Jamil Baig after Islamabad raid over alleged cybercrime violations. The incident followed Murad Saeed's complaint under PECA 2016. Details on the confrontation and charges.
June 11, 2025 Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025 Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025 Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025 The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025 The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.