Punjab Police beat up journalist at Lahore rally

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 5 August 2026 |  JP Staff Report

A video shows Punjab Police officers striking journalist Natiq Rehan with batons and forcing him into a police vehicle while he covered a protest rally in Lahore. The media condemned the attack and called for an independent probe into the incident.

Summary

LAHORE — A video showing a journalist being beaten by Punjab Police while covering a lawyers' rally in Lahore has triggered widespread condemnation from journalists and press freedom advocates, with calls for an investigation into the conduct of the officers involved.

The journalist has been identified as Natiq Rehan, who is reported to be associated with Aaj TV. Video footage circulating widely on social media appears to show several police officers striking him repeatedly with batons before forcing him into a police vehicle. The circumstances leading to his detention were not immediately clear, and Punjab Police had not publicly issued a detailed explanation at the time of publication.

Journalists condemn assault

The incident occurred while Rehan was covering a protest marking three years in jail for former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore. The video quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting criticism from senior journalists, who described the treatment of a working reporter as unacceptable and demanded accountability.

Senior journalist Hamid Mir shared the footage on X, questioning whether officers could have carried out such violence independently. He wrote that the video presented a troubling picture of governance in Punjab, adding that if such treatment could occur in the country's largest province, it raised serious concerns about the safety of journalists elsewhere in Pakistan.

Journalist Saqib Bashir also condemned the incident, describing the violence as horrifying. In a post on X, he said an unarmed journalist performing his professional duties had been subjected to brutal treatment and called for immediate action against the police personnel involved.

Freedom Network also condemned the incident and termed the clip as "deeply troubling." In a post on X, the media rights organization said journalists must be allowed to document events without intimidation or violence, reiterating the importance of press freedom.

Press freedom concerns

The incident is likely to intensify concerns about the safety of journalists covering protests and other public events in Pakistan. Media organizations and press freedom groups have repeatedly stressed that reporters must be able to carry out their work without intimidation, assault, or arbitrary detention.

At the time of publication, there was no official confirmation that disciplinary action had been initiated against the officers seen in the video. JournalismPakistan has not independently verified the events immediately preceding the assault or the reasons for Rehan's detention. Any official response from Punjab Police or the provincial government will be added as it becomes available.

ATTRIBUTION: Based on social media posts published by Hamid Mir and Saqib Bashir on August 5, 2026, and publicly available information identifying Natiq Rehan as a journalist with Aaj TV. JournalismPakistan has verified the existence of the viral video but has not independently verified the full sequence of events leading to the assault.

PHOTO: Screenshot from a viral video shared on social media.