Quetta, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Journalists in Pakistan’s Balochistan province observed ‘Black Day’ on Tuesday to mark the November 3, 2007 emergency and protest against the forced dismissal of media professionals, closure of media bureau offices in the province, and non-payment or delayed payment of salaries, local media reported on Wednesday.
Journalists wore black armbands, hoisted black flags at press clubs and staged protests across Balochistan to highlight the challenges facing Pakistan’s media industry. The protest was organised on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Dawn reported.
Last month, an Islamabad-based media watchdog documented 97 violations against the media and its practitioners between October 2025 and August 2026. It said Pakistan remained a deeply hostile environment for journalism and media professionals during 2025-26, despite a decline in the number of documented violations.
Freedom Network’s annual Impunity Report 2026, titled ‘From Violence to Lawfare: Process as Punishment for Journalists’, stated, “About 10 cases a month (against media personnel), their nationwide spread and severity in the period showed that fewer violations did not mean greater safety.” The report was authored by journalist Adnan Rehmat and Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak, with technical assistance from International Media Support (IMS).
According to Freedom Network, at least 97 attacks and other violations were reported between October 2025 and August 2026, compared with 142 in the preceding cycle. The cases included one work-related killing, three attempted assassinations, 18 threats of murder or harm, 13 legal actions, 32 threats of legal action and 11 assaults.
Punjab recorded the highest number of cases at 49, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Balochistan. Digital and independent journalists were targeted most frequently, the report said. Victims or their families alleged that government authorities and officials were behind nearly two-thirds of the cases.
Khattak said, “Despite the presence on the statute books of two laws to combat impunity for crimes against journalists, such a finding should be a matter of concern for those at the helm of affairs of the two safety commissions established under these laws.”
The report also said the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) used the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against journalists to punish dissent, describing this as central to the legal pressure on online journalism in Pakistan.
An analysis of representative PECA-related cases showed a recurring pattern involving complaints, notices or inquiries, followed by appearances, FIRs, arrests and bail, with cases eventually resulting in relief, apologies or unresolved prosecution, the report added.
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