JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 04, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW DELHI — Indian authorities should allow journalist Gowhar Geelani to travel freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday.
On August 31, immigration officials at the Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi stopped Geelani, a Kashmiri broadcast journalist who has frequently reported from Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir state, and told him he was not allowed to travel to Germany, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke with CPJ.
Officials told Geelani that the Jammu and Kashmir state government had “flagged the issue” of his travel, but declined to give him any more details on why he was barred from leaving the country, he told CPJ.
Geelani said he has a valid passport and visa, and he told digital news outlet Scroll that the immigration officers said there was no issue with his documentation.
“There is no reason why Gowhar Geelani, who had all the right travel documents, should have been prevented from traveling abroad,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher. “Indian authorities should immediately cease all forms of harassment and intimidation against journalists covering the situation in Kashmir.”
Geelani was planning to fly to Germany to attend a journalist training program as a prerequisite to joining German broadcast agency Deutsche Welle’s Delhi bureau, he told CPJ. He previously worked as an editor with the agency in Germany, and has recently worked as an independent journalist and commentator based in Srinagar, he said.
Last month, Geelani published Kashmir: Rage and Reason, a book on the Kashmir conflict and its history.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the country’s immigration authorities, did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request for comment via email.
For the past month, there has been a political crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, with an ongoing communications blackout and reports of journalist detentions, as CPJ has documented. — A CPJ News Alert
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.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.