The District and Sessions Court in Islamabad, Pakistan, dismissed a petition seeking a separate First Information Report (FIR) against the police for manhandling journalists outside the Islamabad High Court on February 28th.
The police had assaulted journalists during the appearance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan before the courts for multiple cases. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police had already registered a terrorism case concerning the incident.
Saqib Bashir, a journalist, filed the petition, who had requested the police to register a case against the officers, but his plea had not been accepted. The counsel for Mr Bashir argued that his client had no connection with the protestors or their acts, and the incident with him was distinguishable, for which a separate FIR should be lodged.
However, the court refused, citing a Supreme Court justice. Instead, the court directed the police to record the statements of the petitioner and other journalists in the terror case already registered by the ICT Police.
On February 28th, PTI workers entered the judicial complex by knocking down the gate, disrupting the security arrangements at Sector G-11 of the judicial complex as protestors removed all barriers.
The attack on journalists has raised concerns about the safety of journalists in Pakistan and the implications of such violence on media freedom. While Pakistanis await the verdict on the terror case, they hope for justice for the journalists manhandled by the police.
The incident has highlighted the lack of safety for journalists in Pakistan and the absence of respect for media freedom in the country. The violence against journalists by the police is a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights, as enshrined in the Pakistani Constitution. Such acts should not be tolerated.
The court’s decision not to register a separate FIR for the manhandling of journalists is worrying. It suggests that the court fails to recognize the importance of media freedom in a democratic society.
The people of Pakistan eagerly await the verdict of the terror case and hope that the court will deliver justice to the journalists and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. The case serves as an example of the importance of protecting media freedom and journalists in Pakistan.
 against the police for manhandling journalists outside the Islamabad High Court on February 28th.){kind=link}