Sher Afzal Gujjar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hazara Express News, faced threats of legal action under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) following his media outlet’s coverage of a press conference on February 24.
The press conference detailed accusations against local police by the family of Zahir Ahmed, a murder victim in Mansehra.
During the press conference, the victim’s family accused the police of illegal detentions, physical abuse, and coercing false confessions, allegations that Gujjar broadcasted through his digital news platform. Hazara Express News aired this press conference. Subsequently, Station House Officer (SHO) Israr Shah from Mansehra Police Station Sadar initiated steps to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Gujjar for allegedly spreading “false and misleading information.”
Speaking to The Pen.pk, Gujjar stated: “We are journalists, and our job is to report the truth. We have no personal dispute with the police, but they have made it personal”. He suggested that this legal threat might be a form of retaliation linked to his recent coverage of a drug-related case at Battal police station.
He said that Hazara Express News is a registered outlet committed to ethical journalism as a member of the Digital Media Alliance Pakistan (DigiMAP). In light of the police threats, Gujjar has called for an independent inquiry into the matter.
DigiMAP, led by President Subukh Syed and General Secretary Adnan Amir, strongly criticized the police’s actions against Gujjar, describing them as a “blatant violation of human rights and constitutional freedoms.”
Subukh Syed stated: “This is possibly the first time in Pakistan’s history that a journalist is being prosecuted for covering a press conference. We had long warned that the PECA law would be misused for personal revenge and harassment. Today, that fear has become a reality. Instead of protecting human rights, this law is now being weaponized to silence journalists.”
District Police Officer (DPO) Mansehra Shafiullah Gandapur clarified that no PECA case would be registered in Mansehra, stating that the issue pertaining to Gujjar had been closed. He emphasized a commitment to freedom of expression and announced that an investigative committee headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Resham Jahangir had been formed to probe the allegations raised during the press conference.
