ISLAMABAD: In a shocking turn of events, a heavy contingent of Islamabad police on Thursday stormed the National Press Club, baton-charging journalists and staff members after dispersing a protest by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
Members of the JAAC had gathered outside the Press Club to stage a demonstration. However, police forces quickly intervened and resorted to baton charges to disperse the crowd. Police arrested over 15 protesters, while others fled the scene.
The situation escalated further when police entered the premises of the National Press Club, attacking journalists and damaging property, including the cafeteria. Eyewitnesses reported that journalists and office-bearers who attempted to mediate were also physically assaulted.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage across journalistic circles and political opposition. Media organizations condemned the police action, calling it a grave attack on press freedom. They expressed serious concern over the attack on a venue closely associated with Kashmiri journalists.
Opposition leaders also denounced the crackdown, terming it “a brutal and savage assault on journalists,” and accusing the government of using state power to silence dissent. “This is a blatant violation of democratic values,” they said, demanding immediate accountability.
President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Afzal Butt, has strongly condemned the recent and termed it darkest days in the country’s journalistic history. “Today marks the darkest day in Pakistan’s history. Our sentiments have been deeply hurt, and we will deliver a strong and united response”, he said.
He said that even in the past martial law such incidents did not occur. “We have witnessed the era of martial law. We have faced emergency rule and even ‘Emergency Plus’ — but never have we seen an incident of this magnitude,” Butt stated. Butt warned that the journalist community would not remain silent and vowed to take decisive steps in response, demanding accountability and protection for the media. He said that during the police raid, when the press club’s office-bearers tried to intervene and resolve the matter, they were “beaten and tortured”.
Butt said that the PFUJ had called an emergency session, where will decide about our next course of action.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has taken notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry. He sought a report from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad. He said that violence against journalist community will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Naqvi directed authorities to identify the personnel involved in the incident and to take strict disciplinary action against them.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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