Stakeholders Call for Formation of Media Safety Commission at Seminar in Abbottabad

A seminar titled “Effective Use of Pakistan’s Journalists’ Protection Laws” was held at the Abbottabad Press Club on June 12, bringing together stakeholders from various sectors to discuss the implementation and challenges associated with media safety laws. Organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), the...

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Lahore High Court Temporarily Holds Key Sections of Punjab’s New Defamation Law

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on June 11 put a temporary hold on the enforcement of critical sections of the recently enacted Punjab Defamation Act 2024, as legal scrutiny over its constitutionality intensifies. Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq presided over the session that temporarily suspended Sections...

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Police Team Formed to Investigate Khalil Jibran’s Murder

A team was formed on June 21 to investigate the murder of senior journalist Khalil Jibran in the Landi Kotal tehsil. The investigation team is led by District Police Officer Saleem Abbas Kulachi and includes Superintendent of Police (Counter-Terrorism Department) Shaukat Khan, SP (Investigation) Roohul Amin Khan,...

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PPF alarmed by the brutal murder of journalist Khalil Jibran in KP’s Khyber district; urges a swift and effective investigation

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is alarmed by the brutal murder of journalist Khalil Jibran on June 18 in the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Khyber district. Jibran’s targeted murder, in light of threats previously issued to the journalist, is of grave concern. PPF...

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Punjab Information Minister Assures Journalists that New Defamation Legislation Won’t Impact their Work

On June 13, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari assured journalists that the newly introduced defamation law would not impact their work. She clarified that the legislation is aimed at social media influencers who spread misinformation for financial gain. Bukhari also announced the allocation of a one billion rupees...

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Anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan Released After Court in Lahore Dismissing New Charges

On June 14, anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan was released after a Lahore court discharged him in a new case. The court dismissed the latest charges against him due to lack of evidence, leading to his release by the Lahore police. The anchorperson was arrested on June 11 from the Allama...

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Kashmiri Poet Ahmed Farhad Released After AJK High Court Grants Bail

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on June 13 granted bail to poet and journalist Ahmed Farhad, leading to his release from custody on June 14. Farhad had disappeared from his Islamabad residence on May 15 and reappeared near the AJK-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border on May 29...

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Islamabad High Court Declares Journalist & Poet Farhad a Missing Person, Session Court Sent Him On Judicial Remand

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared journalist and poet Ahmed Farhad a missing person until he reaches home safely and ruled his arrest unlawful, highlighting concerns about the procedures followed by law enforcement agencies. Kashmiri poet Farhad was reported missing from Islamabad on May 15...

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Another Petition Filed Challenging Punjab’s New Defamation Law

On June 11, a new petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging the recently enacted defamation law in Punjab. The petition was jointly submitted by the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists...

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Political parties oppose the Punjab Defamation Act 2024

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has voiced strong objections to the newly enacted Punjab Defamation Act 2024, criticizing the Punjab government for a lack of consultation in the drafting process. Although the PPP is not formally part of the coalition government in Punjab, where the...

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