Veteran journalist Shaheen Sehbai says his X account hacked, warns public not to engage
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 17 July 2025 | JP Staff Report
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Shaheen Sehbai, a notable journalist critical of the Pakistani government, reported that his X account has been compromised. He warned his followers about the unauthorized account and its implications for digital security and press freedom.Summary
ISLAMABAD—Shaheen Sehbai, a prominent Pakistani journalist living in exile and known for his outspoken criticism of the government and the military establishment, has revealed that his account on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has been hacked.
In a short video message, Sehbai alerted his followers and the public, stating: "My X account has been hacked and they have changed my X-handle to something @sehbaihah71423, with no followers and nobody followed. It's also not verified. Pl do not interact or respond to this new account. We are trying to contact X to get this fixed."
The sudden and suspicious compromise of Sehbai’s account has raised serious concerns over digital security and the targeting of dissident voices, particularly those critical of Pakistan’s power structures.
Sehbai, a former Group Editor of The News International, has long been vocal about censorship, press suppression, and state overreach. The timing and nature of the hack raise fresh questions about the vulnerability of independent journalists operating from abroad.
Efforts are underway to restore access and verify the authenticity of the account through official X support channels.
سینئر صØاÙÛŒ شاÛین صÛبائی کا ایکس اکاؤنٹ Ûیک، عوام Ú©Ùˆ خبردار کیا Ú©Û Ø¬Ø¹Ù„ÛŒ اکاؤنٹ سÛ' Ø±Ø§Ø¨Ø·Û Ù†Û Ú©Ø±ÛŒÚº
اسلام آباد—سینئر پاکستانی صØاÙÛŒ شاÛین صÛبائی، جو اس وقت بیرون ملک مقیم Ûیں اور Øکومت Ùˆ عسکری اسٹیبلشمنٹ پر Ú©Ú'ÛŒ تنقید کرتÛ' Ûیں، Ù†Û' دعویٰ کیا ÛÛ' Ú©Û Ø§Ù† کا ایکس (Ø³Ø§Ø¨Ù‚Û Ù¹ÙˆØ¦Ù¹Ø±) اکاؤنٹ Ûیک کر لیا گیا ÛÛ'Û"ا
اپنÛ' ایک مختصر ویڈیو پیغام میں صÛبائی Ù†Û' خبردار کیا "میرا ایکس اکاؤنٹ Ûیک کر لیا گیا ÛÛ' اور Ûینڈل تبدیل کر Ú©Û' رکھ دیا گیا ÛÛ'ØŒ جس Ú©Û' Ù†Û Ú©ÙˆØ¦ÛŒ Ùالوورز Ûیں اور Ù†Û ÛŒÛ Ú©Ø³ÛŒ Ú©Ùˆ Ùالو کر رÛا ÛÛ'Û" ÛŒÛ Ø§Ú©Ø§Ø¤Ù†Ù¹ ویری Ùائیڈ بھی Ù†Ûیں ÛÛ'Û" Ø¨Ø±Ø§Û Ú©Ø±Ù… اس نئÛ' اکاؤنٹ سÛ' کوئی Ø±Ø§Ø¨Ø·Û Ù†Û Ú©Ø±ÛŒÚºÛ" ÛÙ… ایکس Ø§Ù†ØªØ¸Ø§Ù…ÛŒÛ Ø³Û' رابطÛ' Ú©ÛŒ کوشش کر رÛÛ' Ûیں ØªØ§Ú©Û Ù…Ø¹Ø§Ù…Ù„Û ØÙ„ ÛÙˆ سکÛ'Û""
شاÛین صÛبائی کا اکاؤنٹ Ûیک Ûونا، خاص طور پر ایک ایسÛ' صØاÙÛŒ کا جو طویل عرصÛ' سÛ' طاقتور Øلقوں پر تنقید کرتا آیا ÛÛ'ØŒ صØاÙتی آزادیوں اور ڈیجیٹل سیکیورٹی پر Ø³Ù†Ø¬ÛŒØ¯Û Ø³ÙˆØ§Ù„Ø§Øª اٹھاتا ÛÛ'Û"
صÛبائی، جو ماضی میں دی نیوز انٹرنیشنل Ú©Û' گروپ ایڈیٹر Ø±Û Ú†Ú©Û' Ûیں، پاکستان میں سینسرشپ اور آزادی صØاÙت پر پابندیوں Ú©Û' خلا٠کھل کر بولتÛ' رÛÛ' ÛیںÛ" اس Ûیکنگ Ú©Û' وقت اور انداز سÛ' ظاÛر Ûوتا ÛÛ' Ú©Û ÛŒÛ Ú©Ø§Ø±Ø±ÙˆØ§Ø¦ÛŒ اتÙØ§Ù‚ÛŒÛ Ù†Ûیں، Ø¨Ù„Ú©Û Ø§ÛŒÚ© منظم کوشش ÛÙˆ سکتی ÛÛ'Û"
شاÛین صÛبائی کا اصل اکاؤنٹ بØال کرنÛ' اور تصدیق Ú©Û' Ù„ÛŒÛ' ایکس Ú©ÛŒ سپورٹ ٹیم سÛ' رابطÛ' Ú©ÛŒ کوششیں جاری ÛیںÛ"
Key Points
- Shaheen Sehbai's X account was hacked and altered.
- The new account has no followers and is not verified.
- Sehbai urges the public not to engage with the hacked account.
- Concerns arise over the security of dissenting journalists in Pakistan.
- Efforts are being made to restore the original account.
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