Founder Kolhu Press Club, Zubedar Mari arrested by police in connection with a news story, alleging merit violations and bribery during recruitment by a PPHI officer.
FOE Link or motive by PPF
ConfirmedCase Update Status
Zubedar is still under police custody.
Summary of Case
On July 06, Founder Kolhu Press Club, Zubedar Mari, was arrested by Kohlu police in connection with a news story he shared on WhatsApp alleging merit violations and bribery during recruitment by a PPHI officer. Marri was abducted, detained for several hours, and subsequently, an FIR was registered against him. An FIR # 47/25, registered at Kohlu Police Station on July 06, against journalist Zubedar Mari, founder of Kohlu Press Club, for allegedly spreading false news against PPHI District Officer Imran Buzdar. The complaint, filed by Lal Shah, claims Mari posted on a WhatsApp group that Imran Buzdar sold a T-post for a large sum of money and threatened to punish him according to Baloch customs if he returns to Balochistan. The FIR accuses Mari of spreading chaos, defaming institutions, and issuing threats. The case was registered under sections 500, 501, 505, 506, and 153A of the PPC. Mian Khan has been assigned to investigate the case. The police are taking action based on the complaint and will proceed according to the law. Speaking to PPF, on July 17, Senior Superintendent of Kohlu Police, Mr. Shareef, stated that Zubedar Mari has shared a malicious post that was being circulated on WhatsApp targeting the District Support Manager, People's Primary Healthcare Initiative DSM PPHI Imran (Punjabi), with serious allegations of corruption, along with direct threats based on ethnicity and promotion of Baloch vs Punjabi conflict. Shareef said that the post contains threatening content, including statements that if Imran returns to Kohlu, he will be punished according to Baloch customs, and that Baluchistan’s land will be made difficult for people like him. According to him, the post's content is actionable under various legal sections. The police are investigating the matter and taking action against those responsible for spreading hate speech and threats. Posts circulating on WhatsApp allegedly linked to Zubedar Mari, provide that in Baluchistan’s Kohlu district, DSM Imran Punjabi, along with his associates, is accused of selling all the recent vacancies announced under the PPHI program, completely disregarding merit. According to the post, nearly all positions were allegedly sold for amounts ranging from 1 million to 5 million rupees each. As per the story, members of the Unemployed Youth Alliance, while speaking to media representatives in Kohlu, expressed concerns that vacancies in the Social Welfare Department may have also been sold. They alleged that the Social Welfare Officer involved in this is closely related to DSM Imran Punjabi — reportedly his mother, raising further suspicions as she has been serving there as an officer for a long. The story claims that similar practices were carried out in the past by Imran Punjabi’s father, who was associated with the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Kohlu and was accused of selling government jobs during his tenure. Screenshots are attached. Bol News Bureau Chief Shehzada Zulfiqar emphasized that the organization prioritizes stories that are verified and vetted by editors before publication. He advised journalists to exercise caution when sharing stories on social media and to maintain professionalism when referencing others. While Bol News supports its employees, it does not endorse social media journalism that lacks authority and affiliation with the organization. Zubedar Mari’s younger brother, Ata Ullah, spoke to PPF and confirmed that Mari has been arrested and detained by Kohlu Police. He said that Kohlu police are blackmailing his brother and fabricated the story only to take revenge for a post Mari shared about merit violations and bribery during recruitment by a PPHI officer. The attempt for bail remained unsuccessful as the judge is on leave, Ata Ullah said. The Kohlu Press Club strongly condemned the arrest of Zubedar Mari and the registration of an FIR against him. In a statement, the Press Club expressed its disapproval of Mari’s social media post, calling it irresponsible and contrary to journalistic principles. However, the Club criticized the police's disproportionate response, stating that the immediate arrest and FIR registration amount to harassment of journalists. The Press Club noted that it had taken responsibility for removing the post, but the police's actions were still unjustified. The statement expressed concern over the police's double standards, highlighting that while serious crimes like drug sales and illegal activities are rampant in the city, the police remain silent, but journalists are quickly targeted. The Press Club demanded that the case against Mari be dropped, and a high-level inquiry be conducted into the police's misuse of power. It also urged the police to focus on preventing crimes and protecting the public rather than restricting journalists' freedom of expression. The Club warned that if the harassment of journalists continues, it will formulate a protest plan and approach the higher courts. Kohlu Press Club President Mujeeb Mari said that Zubedar Mari is currently in jail, and efforts to secure bail have been unsuccessful due to a vacation in the court. The Kohlu Press Club prioritizes transparency and factual reporting, and they are committed to sharing verified information in accordance with journalistic standards and legal boundaries. They urged relevant parties to communicate with them for any further developments or additional information regarding the case.
Category of Incident
Arrest; Case Registered
ICCS Status
ICCS Divisions: N/A
ICCS Group: N/A
ICCS Class: N/A
ICCS Crime: N/A
Reported By
PPF Safety Monitors
Date of incident
6
Month
July
Year
2025
Name of affected person
Zubedar Mari
Other affected persons
N/A
Name of affected organization
Bol News
Other affected organizations
N/A
Action by
Kohlu Police
City
Kohlu
Province
Balochistan
Designation
Reporter
Professional category
Journalist
Age of victim
N/A
Marital Status
N/ACompensation Details
Amount of compensation announced by government: N/A
Date of compensation announcement by government: N/A
Date of compensation paid by government: N/A
Amount of compensation announced by others: N/A
Date of compensation announced by others: N/A
Date compensation paid by others: N/A
FIR Details
Was FIR registered ?: Yes
Date of FIR:
FIR Details: 47/25
Police station of FIR: Kohlu Police Station
Name of complainant: Lal Shah
Name of accused in FIR: Zubedar Mari
Court Details
Was case investigated ?: Under probe
Court where case was presented: Not presented before court yet
Name of prosecuting lawyer: Not presented before court yet
Date of first court hearing:
Date of last court hearing:
Status of court case: Not presented before court yet
Journalist Union Status
PFUJ
No version was recorded
APNS
No version was recorded
CPNE
No version was recorded
PBA
No version was recorded
Condemn Status
Colleague of victim
Bol News Bureau Chief Shehzada Zulfiqar emphasized that the organization prioritizes stories that are verified and vetted by editors before publication. He advised journalists to exercise caution when sharing stories on social media and to maintain professionalism when referencing others. While Bol News supports its employees, it does not endorse social media journalism that lacks authority and affiliation with the organization.
Employer organization
Press Club Status
Press club 1: The Kohlu Press Club strongly condemned the arrest of Zubedar Mari and the registration of an FIR against him. In a statement, the Press Club expressed its disapproval of Mari’s social media post, calling it irresponsible and contrary to journalistic principles. However, the Club criticized the police's disproportionate response, stating that the immediate arrest and FIR registration amount to harassment of journalists. The Press Club noted that it had taken responsibility for removing the post, but the police's actions were still unjustified. The statement expressed concern over the police's double standards, highlighting that while serious crimes like drug sales and illegal activities are rampant in the city, the police remain silent, but journalists are quickly targeted. The Press Club demanded that the case against Mari be dropped, and a high-level inquiry be conducted into the police's misuse of power. It also urged the police to focus on preventing crimes and protecting the public rather than restricting journalists' freedom of expression. The Club warned that if the harassment of journalists continues, it will formulate a protest plan and approach the higher courts. Kohlu Press Club President Mujeeb Mari said that Zubedar Mari is currently in jail, and efforts to secure bail have been unsuccessful due to a vacation in the court. The Kohlu Press Club prioritizes transparency and factual reporting, and they are committed to sharing verified information in accordance with journalistic standards and legal boundaries. They urged relevant parties to communicate with them for any further developments or additional information regarding the case.
Press club 2: N/A
Press club 3: N/A