Case Update Status

On March 3, Islamabad police summoned the DIG Headquarters, the inquiry officer, and Assistant Commissioner Abdullah, SDPO Ramna DSP Shams Azhar, DSP Mehfooz Kiyani, and five police officials performing duty with him and DSP Farooq Ahmed Niazi and his five subordinates.

Summary of Case

"The Islamabad police summoned four journalists on March 3, 2023, whom police officials allegedly beat on the premises of the Islamabad High Court in the presence of the deputy inspector general of police operations and assistant commissioner; sources told Dawn. According to the notice issued by the office of DIG Headquarters, Awais Ahmed, an inquiry had been marked to DIG Ahmed regarding the incident between police officials and media persons. He has to complete the investigation and submit a report based on facts to the inspector general of Police Islamabad on Friday (today) positively, it added. One of the journalists, Saqib Bashir from Express TV, appeared before the DIG. Talking to Dawn, Saqib Bashir told the DIG that a complaint had already been filed with the Ramna police station and that an FIR should be registered. An assistant commissioner and other police officials were seen present in the footage when journalists were maltreated, he said, adding that later more footage appeared in which the DIG Operations was also found to be present there. He said that the officers and officials present during the incident could be identified through this footage. The DIG Headquarters, the inquiry officer, also summoned Assistant Commissioner Abdullah, SDPO Ramna DSP Shams Azhar, DSP Mehfooz Kiyani, and five police officials performing duty with him and DSP Farooq Ahmed Niazi and his five subordinates."

Category of Incident

Assault

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0201- Assaults and threats

ICCS Group: 02011- Assault

ICCS Class: 020112- Minor assault

ICCS Crime: Assaults and threats

Reported By

The News

Date of incident

11

Month

March

Year

2023

Name of affected person

Saqib Basheer

Other affected persons

Shah Khalid

Name of affected organization

Express News

Other affected organizations

ARY News

Action by

By the police officials

City

Islamabad

Province

Capital Territory

Designation

Reporter

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

45

Marital Status

Compensation Details

Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation announced

Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation announced

Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced

Date compensation paid by others: No compensation announced

FIR Details

Was FIR registered ?: No

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: No

Court where case was presented: Case is not in any court

Name of prosecuting lawyer: Case is not in any court

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: Case is not in any court

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

Speaking to PPF, Rana Muhammad Azeem, secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, said that such attacks prove the situation of press freedom in Pakistan and should be stopped now.

APNS

N/A

CPNE

N/A

PBA

N/A

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

Not required to contact

Employer organization

"Amir Illyas Rana, Bureau chief of express news, said Islamabad High Court took on its motion against the police officials as they assaulted the seven journalists deliberately. Jahangir Aslam, the court reporter of ARY News, told PPF that Saqib Basheer was assaulted by the Islamabad High Court’s security staff for covering the visit of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. "

Press Club Status

Press club 1: Not required to contact

Press club 2: N/A

Press club 3: N/A