The 'Under Attack' page documents and highlights instances of violence, threats, and intimidation against journalists, news organizations, and press clubs across Pakistan since 2012. This section aims to shed light on the challenges media professionals face, their resilience in the face of adversity, and the broader implications for press freedom in the region. Some of the images in this section are graphic.
June 23, 2020: PFUJ and Freedom Network express serious concern over the brutal violence against Chaman-based journalists Saeed Ali Achakzai and Abdul Mateen. They demand a judicial inquiry, the arrest of those responsible, and the safety of journalists in Balochistan.
June 02, 2020: Jameer Mahir, Vice President of Shikarpur Union of Journalists, was seriously injured in an attack by unknown assailants in Taluka Lakhi Ghulam Shah and hospitalized in Sukkur. Sukkur Union of Journalists President Saleem Sahito has called for increased government security in response to the attack.
May 21, 2020: Senior journalist Ijaz Ahmed Khan of the Associated Press of Pakistan sustained a serious head injury in an attack by two unknown men near Peshawar-Charsadda Road. He was hospitalized and filed an FIR with Khazana Police Station.
May 18, 2020: Jamshed Baghwan, Peshawar bureau chief for Express News Television, was harassed by three unidentified men outside the traffic police headquarters. He filed an FIR, and the incident has been condemned by politicians, journalists, and local unions.
May 07, 2020: Freedom Network expresses serious concern over the attack on Dawn correspondent A.B. Arisar's home in Umerkot, Sindh. The organization highlights the alarming rise in attacks on journalists in the region, noting Sindh as the second most unsafe place for media in Pakistan.
May 04, 2020: On World Press Freedom Day, police manhandled Hum News correspondent Muhammad Amin while he covered a fight in Akora Khattak, Nowshera. Despite proving his identity, police confiscated his phone and threatened him with a gun.
March 13, 2020: The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Pakistan to lift restrictions on Geo News imposed by PEMRA and restore its free broadcast. The move follows the controversial arrest of Jang Media Group's CEO, Shakil-ur-Rehman.
March 12, 2020: The National Accountability Bureau arrested Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, editor-in-chief of the Jang Group, on corruption charges related to a 1986 land transaction. Geo TV denies allegations, citing retaliation for investigative programs.
February 13, 2020: The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Pakistani authorities to withdraw threats of terrorism charges against journalist Gul Bukhari and stop harassing journalists domestically and internationally.
February 07, 2020: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on Dutch authorities to investigate the attack on exiled Pakistani blogger Ahmad Waqass Goraya and urges protection for him. RSF suspects ISI involvement and demands action from the Dutch government to ensure accountability.
January 07, 2020: Journalists and human rights groups condemn the raid on the publisher of the Urdu translation of Muhammad Hanif's novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes in Islamabad, questioning ISI's motives and highlighting the risks faced by Urdu authors.
December 12, 2019: Journalist Ahmad Noorani reported harassment after a person claiming to be an inspector from an intelligence agency visited his home in his absence. The individual stated he was there to escort Noorani to meet a high-ranking officer, prompting Noorani to call it harassment.
December 06, 2019: For the second time in less than a week, a crowd gathered outside the Dawn office in Islamabad, blocking its entrance and displaying threatening behavior. Editor Zaffar Abbas reported the demonstration was larger and more aggressive than the previous one. The protest follows Dawn's reporting on a London attacker of Pakistani origin.
December 02, 2019: Around 100 people gathered outside Dawn's offices, blocking the gates for nearly three hours. The protestors, led by an elderly man with a megaphone, accused the newspaper of undermining Pakistan's efforts against terrorism. They chanted slogans in support of the ISI and the Army.
September 29, 2019: Irfan Malik, deputy bureau chief of 24 News, survived an attempt on his life in Media Town. He was chased and attacked by assailants, captured in CCTV footage. Malik has filed an FIR, and journalists are meeting at the National Press Club to discuss the incident and plan their response.
September 20, 2019: A VSH News Television journalist, Iqbal Baloch, received a death threat from an armed man in the Kala Pul area. The incident occurred in broad daylight when the gunman intercepted Baloch’s car. VSH News reports ongoing harassment and threats against its journalists.
September 05, 2019: A Dunya News Television reporter, Ibrar Ahmed, and cameraperson, Rehmat Ali, were injured in twin blasts in Quetta. The media team was covering the first explosion when a second blast occurred, resulting in further injuries. One rescue worker was killed, and 11 others were injured.
August 31, 2019: Jamil Ahmed, a sub-editor with Daily Azadi, was shot and injured by unidentified armed men in Quetta. He was taken to a trauma center in critical condition. The motive behind the attack is unclear, and journalists' unions have condemned the violence, calling for the arrest of the attackers.
June 15, 2019: Senior journalist Mateen Haider and colleagues were attacked and beaten in Sector E-7 by alleged accomplices of notorious land grabber Hamza Bari. The incident occurred while they were condoling a death. Police have registered an FIR and made three arrests.
June 12, 2019: Intelligence operatives harassed senior Dawn correspondent Baqir Sajjad after meeting British diplomats in Islamabad. Despite their attempts to detain him, Sajjad managed to escape. The incident has been widely condemned by media watchdogs, politicians, and journalists.