JournalismPakistan.com | Published 2 months ago | JP Staff Report
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ISLAMABAD—Khalid Jamil, a respected senior journalist, was reportedly arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) during a raid on his residence in Media Town, Islamabad.
While the official reason for his arrest has not been disclosed, media circles believe his outspoken video commentaries and vlogs critical of state institutions may have drawn the ire of authorities. Sources say his recent reporting on political developments and press freedom in Pakistan may have triggered official scrutiny.
This is not the first time Jamil has faced state action. In September 2023, while serving as the Bureau Chief of ABN News, he was taken into custody from the same residence. At that time, a photograph of him holding a page detailing the First Information Report (FIR) was circulated publicly, a move widely condemned as an attempt at humiliation. He was accused of “spreading hatred against the army” and booked under Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), a controversial law frequently criticized by journalists and rights groups for being misused to silence dissent.
Jamil’s fresh arrest comes amid a growing crackdown on independent voices in Pakistan’s media landscape. Just days earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a disputed FIR against four women journalists over discussions in a private WhatsApp group, without allowing them to defend themselves. The move sparked outrage among media bodies, with the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) warning of nationwide protests unless the case is withdrawn immediately.
Press freedom organizations have repeatedly urged the government to end the misuse of cybercrime laws against journalists and uphold constitutional rights to free expression. The repeated targeting of senior journalists like Khalid Jamil is expected to further intensify debate over censorship, accountability, and the role of state institutions in shaping Pakistan’s media environment.
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