Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) expressed alarm over the forceful entry of authorities into Quetta Press Club during which they prevented journalists from covering a press conference.
On March 2, Civil Lines Police in Quetta prevented journalists from covering a Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) press conference at the press club Those stopped included Dauran Baloch (Voicepk.net), Muhammad Zareef Khan (Khyber News), Danish Murad (Pakistan Image News), Israr Sumalani (GNN News), and Shams ullah Kakar (ANN News), among others.
Dauran Baloch, a freelance journalist associated with Voicepk.net, told PPF that he was at the Quetta Press Club to cover a press conference by the BYC, which was expected to feature Nadia Baloch, the sister of Dr. Mahrang Baloch. However, the event was disrupted by police intervention, and journalists, including Baloch, were barred from covering it. Baloch alleged that the police attempted to seize his mobile phone to prevent any recording, but he managed to protect it.
More than 20 journalists were harassed and restrained from reporting by Quetta Police; nevertheless, no arrests have been made, said Baloch.
Khyber News reporter Muhammad Zareef Khan, speaking to PPF, described the incident, saying that the police, led by Station House Officer Civil Lines, intervened to stop a press conference by BYC women, clashing with journalists and pushing some of them. The police left after Quetta Press Club President Irfan Saeed intervened. The Balochistan Union of Journalists has protested the incident, Khan said.
In a post shared on X, Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jamili shared that the KPC stands in solidarity with the Quetta Press Club.
In a condemnation statement, Jamili and KPC Secretary Aslam Khan said that the “high-handedness by law enforcement represents a shameful attack on the freedom of the press” and was a violation of the fundamental rights under the Constitution.
“The leadership of the Karachi Press Club reminds the state and its machinery that press clubs are sacred, neutral territories. They serve as essential platforms for the public discourse of all political, religious, and social groups. The government and police possess no authority to breach these premises or obstruct the media’s duty to inform the public. Such blatant interference is a clear indication that the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are under grave threat in the country,” the statement read.
Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, Senior Vice President Salman Qureshi and other leadership strongly condemned the incident and labelled it a serious attack on press freedom. Ansari stated that this was not the first incident of the sort and if the individuals conducting the press conference were wanted persons, they could have been arrested before or after the press conference. He said that entering the press club forcefully during the press conference and harassing journalists was not only shameful but a negative step for freedom of expression.
The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) strongly condemned the action of entering the Quetta Press Club during a press conference of a political party and harassing journalists to stop coverage. CPNE called on Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Additional Chief Secretary Home Hamza Shafqat and IG Balochistan to take immediate notice of the incident and to take action against the government officials involved.
