Case Update Status

N/A

Summary of Case

On June 6, 2025, nine journalists from District Kashmore, including the President of the Press Club Tangwani, Atta Ur Rehman, were pressured by the SSP's Public Relations Officer, Zubair Naveed Sheikh, to remove their social media reports on a robbery incident on the Kandhkot Indus Highway. When they refused, they were booked under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. The journalists involved included Atta Ur Rehman (KTN News), Atta Hussain (Mehran TV), Hafeez Malik (Dharti TV), Bari Malik (Sindhi TV), and three others from various media outlets in Kashmore's tehsils, including Kashmore, Kandhkot, and Tangwani. According to Dawn The Tangwani police have lodged a case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 against 28 individuals, mostly journalists, political activists, and members of the public. The FIR, filed by ASI Raham Ali Cholyani, accuses them of misusing social media, spreading chaos through Facebook and WhatsApp groups, and defaming the police and law department. FIR # 45/2025, registered on June 6 at the Tangwani Police Station against 28 individuals under sections 20/21/24/25 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. The individuals include journalists, activists, and citizens had been accused of sharing misinformation allegedly misused social media, spreading chaos and defaming law enforcement agencies. The FIR lists the accused, including: Bari Malik Lutf Malik Attaur Rehman Malik Atta Hainpat Abdul Hafeez Subhan Pat Unknown Malik Aftab Ahmed Pat Unknown Bajkai Israr Ahmed Pat Unknown Bajkai Hamad Iqbal Pat Unknown Malik Muhammad Ali Sandi Pat Saddar and Dahai Mir Hasan Pat Noor Hasan Sarki Kfayatullah Pat Khuda Bakhsh Kumo Ataur Rahman Pat Abdul Jabbar Malik Rahmdal Yat Abdul Ghafoor Lashari Waqar Pat Mir Muhammad Malik Imdad Pat Amanullah Lashari Sulaiman Pat Muhammad Mureed and 11 others Speaking to PPF on June 14 Express News reporter and member Kandhkot Press Club detailed a concerning trend in Tangwani district, where highway robberies have become alarmingly common, with passenger buses frequently being targeted. Recently, a bus traveling from Kandhkot to Quetta in Baluchistan was robbed, and videos of the incident went viral on social media. Notably, journalists who reported on the story and shared the videos were named in an FIR for allegedly spreading misinformation and damaging the reputation of law enforcement agencies. The Press Club took swift action, convening a meeting with the Senior Superintendent of Police of Kandhkot Zubair Naveed Sheikh, who assured them that the journalists' names would be removed from the FIR, recognizing their professional duty to cover such incidents. Despite this assurance, the matter remains unresolved, with concerns lingering about press freedom and the ability of journalists to report without fear of reprisal. Dharti TV reporter Hafeez Malik shared his experience with the PPF, stating that he had reported on a robbery at the Kandhkot bus station. Due to editorial issues, the news wasn't published on paper, so he shared it on his Facebook account. After posting, he received a call from the SSP Kandhkot's Public Relations Officer, Zubair Naveed Sheikh, asking him to remove the video. Malik refused, citing professional integrity and the public's right to know. Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against him and 20 others, including six journalists. Malik expressed willingness to cooperate with the police but noted that the matter had cooled down after press club and journalist organization interventions. Mehran TV reporter Atta Hussain also shared his ordeal with PPF that he reported on an incident involving a bus hijacking, during which a young guy passing the highway on his car was killed. The bus hijacking and robbery was reported on Mehran TV and he highlighted the news on of killing on social media, but later received a call from the SSP's Public Relations Officer (PRO) Nisar Abbasi, asking him to delete the videos. Hussain refused to comply, citing his professional integrity. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against him. However, the matter was later resolved, but the journalist's name has not yet been removed from the FIR. Hussain also expressed concerns about the behavior of the SSP and SHO towards the media, stating that they often intimidate and harass journalists and do not accept the issue of robbery in the district Kandhkot. Story shared by Atta Hussain aired on Mehran TV suggested that on the Tangwani Indus Highway, armed men took hundreds of passengers hostage in a coach going to Punjab. The report detailed in Sindhi language that a dramatic hostage crisis unfolded on the Tangwani Indus Highway when armed men took hundreds of passengers hostage on a coach traveling to Punjab and Baluchistan. The incident has sent shockwaves through the region, with authorities racing to respond and ensure the safe release of the hostages. The coaches was intercepted by the armed men, who then took control of the vehicle and its occupants. According to Vice President of Kandhkot Press Club, Huzoor Bakhsh, journalists misbehaved with the Station House Officer of Kandhkot Police Station after a robbery incident went viral on social media. Bakhsh acknowledged that journalists often use their platform to pressure the police, which was a mistake in this case. However, the Press Club leadership intervened and discussed the matter with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), who assured that the names of journalists accused in the FIR would be removed. The process was delayed due to Eid holidays, Bkhsh added. In contrast, President of Sahafi Ittehad, Habibullah, stated that the issue stemmed from a robbery at a bus stop on the Kandhkot-Quetta route, where eight buses were robbed. A video footage from one of the buses questioned the credibility of the Kandhkot Police, and soon after it went public on social media, the police lodged an FIR against 20 individuals, including journalists who shared the video. Although the SSP promised to remove the journalists' names from the FIR, no action has been taken yet. Habibullah announced that a protest would be held at the Islamabad Press Club under the leadership of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Monday, June 16. Speaking to PPF Tangwani Press Club President & KTN News reporter Atta ur Rehman stated that the FIR was a clear injustice and a threat to press freedom and media. He said that the district law enforcement is aware of the ongoing robbery incidents in Tehsil- Kashmore, Kankot, and Tangwani, which are affecting both locals and outsiders. However, when journalists raise their voices about this issue, they are either slapped with FIRs, threatened over phone, or pressured to delete videos and news reports. He revealed that around nine journalists from various local Sindhi newspapers had reported on the incident on social media and their news channels. Although their names were included in the FIR, they were later dropped with the effort of the Press Club's and journalists' protests. The Sukkur Union of Journalists strongly condemned the filing of FIRs under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against journalists in Kashmore, including its own members. The journalists were targeted for reporting on a robbery incident, which the SUJ considers a basic journalistic duty. The union views this action as an attack on press freedom and freedom of expression, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIRs. SUJ President Saleem Sehto and General Secretary Javed Jatoi warned that if the cases are not dropped, they will stage a protest and besiege the SSP Kashmore's office, while also appealing to senior officials, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan and IGP Sindh, to intervene and protect journalists' rights.

Category of Incident

Case Registered

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: N/A

ICCS Group: N/A

ICCS Class: N/A

ICCS Crime: N/A

Reported By

Dawn

Date of incident

6

Month

June

Year

2025

Name of affected person

Atta Ur Rehman

Other affected persons

Atta Hussain, Hafeez Malik, Bari Malik and three others

Name of affected organization

KTN News

Other affected organizations

Mehran TV, Sindhi News TV, KTN and Dharti TV , Tangwani Press Club

Action by

SSP's Public Relations Officer, Zubair Naveed Sheikh

City

Tangwani

Province

Sindh

Designation

Reporters

Professional category

Journalist

Age of victim

N/A

Marital Status

Compensation 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: 45/2025

Police station of FIR: Tangwani PS

Name of complainant: The state through ASI Rahim Ali Chulyani PS Tangwani.

Name of accused in FIR: 1. Bari Malik 2. Lutf Malik 3. Attaur Rehman Malik 4. Atta Hainpat 5. Abdul Hafeez 6. Subhan Pat Unknown Malik 7. Aftab Ahmed Pat Unknown Bajkai 8. Israr Ahmed Pat Unknown Bajkai 9. Hamad Iqbal Pat Unknown Malik 10. Muhammad Ali Sandi Pat Saddar and Dahai 11. Mir Hasan Pat Noor Hasan Sarki 12. Kfayatullah Pat Khuda Bakhsh Kumo 13. Ataur Rahman Pat Abdul Jabbar Malik 14. Rahmdal Yat Abdul Ghafoor Lashari 15. Waqar Pat Mir Muhammad Malik 16. Imdad Pat Amanullah Lashari 17. Sulaiman Pat Muhammad Mureed and 11 others

Court Details

Was case investigated ?: N/A

Court where case was presented: N/A

Name of prosecuting lawyer: N/A

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: N/A

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

No version was recorded

APNS

No version was recorded

CPNE

No version was recorded

PBA

No version was recorded

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

The Sukkur Union of Journalists strongly condemned the filing of FIRs under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against journalists in Kashmore, including its own members. The journalists were targeted for reporting on a robbery incident, which the SUJ considers a basic journalistic duty. The union views this action as an attack on press freedom and freedom of expression, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIRs. SUJ President Saleem Sehto and General Secretary Javed Jatoi warned that if the cases are not dropped, they will stage a protest and besiege the SSP Kashmore's office, while also appealing to senior officials, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan and IGP Sindh, to intervene and protect journalists' rights.

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: According to Vice President of Kandhkot Press Club, Huzoor Bakhsh, journalists misbehaved with the Station House Officer of Kandhkot Police Station after a robbery incident went viral on social media. Bakhsh acknowledged that journalists often use their platform to pressure the police, which was a mistake in this case. However, the Press Club leadership intervened and discussed the matter with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), who assured that the names of journalists accused in the FIR would be removed. The process was delayed due to Eid holidays, Bkhsh added.

Press club 2: President of Sahafi Ittehad, Habibullah, stated that the issue stemmed from a robbery at a bus stop on the Kandhkot-Quetta route, where eight buses were robbed. A video footage from one of the buses questioned the credibility of the Kandhkot Police, and soon after it went public on social media, the police lodged an FIR against 20 individuals, including journalists who shared the video. Although the SSP promised to remove the journalists' names from the FIR, no action has been taken yet. Habibullah announced that a protest would be held at the Islamabad Press Club under the leadership of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Monday, June 16.

Press club 3: Speaking to PPF Tangwani Press Club President & KTN News reporter Atta ur Rehman stated that the FIR was a clear injustice and a threat to press freedom and media. He said that the district law enforcement is aware of the ongoing robbery incidents in Tehsil- Kashmore, Kankot, and Tangwani, which are affecting both locals and outsiders. However, when journalists raise their voices about this issue, they are either slapped with FIRs, threatened over phone, or pressured to delete videos and news reports. He revealed that around nine journalists from various local Sindhi newspapers had reported on the incident on social media and their news channels. Although their names were included in the FIR, they were later dropped with the effort of the Press Club's and journalists' protests.