Case Update Status

No action taken against responsible DSP till date. No FIR was registered.

Summary of Case

"On 12 Oct, 2021 DSP cantonment Ihsan Shah raided on Peshawar Press Club (PPC) to prevent members of the transgender community from holding a press conference.

The transgender community urged the provincial government for protection and justice by registering cases against those torturing and threatening them.

During the press conference, DSP cantonment Ihsan Shah entered the main hall where the office-bearers of the transgender association were addressing a press conference and tried to stop them from doing so. They exchanged harsh words.

The official threatened the transvestites and the finance secretary of the press club when he tried to intervene. The DSP was accompanied by other cops, but protest by journalists forced him to leave.

The journalists protested that this was the first time that a police officer along with his team raided the press club and trampled its sanctity. They argued that everyone had the right to highlight their problems and raised voice for their rights.

The journalists held the government responsible for police action and demanded action against the erring cops.

The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) condemned the police raid on the press Club, saying this was the first time that the police besieged the club.

Criticising the ‘exemplary’ police, they said such action has exposed the government and police, which could not tolerate criticism.

The KhUJ announced to stage a protest demonstration against police hooliganism outside Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday (today).

In a statement, the president and general secretary, Fida Khattak and Naeem Khan respectively demanded action against DSP for threatening members of the transgender community and press club's finance secretary Yasir Hussain or else they would stage protests throughout the province.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) also strongly condemned the attack on Peshawar Press Club by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and kidnapping of persons who were holding a press conference inside the premises of PPC.

In joint statement, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi said that press clubs all over the world are respected places and entrance of police or security officials are regarded as state interferences and denial of press freedom. “This is a worst example set by KP police of harassment and a case of desecration and disrespect to the sanctity of the press club,” they said.

They said such incidents bring a bad name to the country as harassment and kidnapping of persons is an illegal act of police, adding that free speech or expression is a constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan.

“How can police stop people from expressing and elaborating their issues through press conference and that too peacefully?” the PFUJ leadership questioned. They demanded an enquiry into the incident and stern action against those who are responsible for attacking the press club.

The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) on Oct 13, 2021 staged a demonstration to protest the raid by the DSP cantonment on Peshawar Press Club (PPC) to prevent members of the transgender community from holding a press conference.

Led by PPC president M Riaz, KHUJ president Fida Khattak and general secretary Naeem Khan, the protesters carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans against KP police and in favour of their demands. They gathered outside the press club, urging the authorities to take action against the police official in question.

Terming the raid against free media and against the basic human rights, the speakers said the police officials had trampled sanctity of the press club.

They asked the government to take action against the DSP for raiding the press club and trying to prevent the transgender community members from highlighting their problems. They recalled that the people belonging to every walks of life highlighted at the press club but no-one had ever tried to stop them from doing so.

The journalists said they would continue the protest until their demands were met. They said the journalists throughout the country were protesting against the raid. They said the DSP threatened the local journalists for standing by the transgender community members."

Category of Incident

Raid

ICCS Status

ICCS Divisions: 0202-Acts against liberty

ICCS Group: 02022-Deprivation of liberty

ICCS Class: N/A

ICCS Crime: Acts against liberty

Reported By

The News

Date of incident

12

Month

October

Year

2021

Name of affected person

No person affected

Other affected persons

No other person affected

Name of affected organization

Peshwar Press Club

Other affected organizations

No other organization affected

Action by

DSP cantonment Ihsan Shah

City

Peshawar

Province

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Designation

Not applicable

Professional category

Journalists, Press Club

Age of victim

Not applicable

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 was not presented in any court

Name of prosecuting lawyer: Case was not presented in any court

Date of first court hearing:

Date of last court hearing:

Status of court case: Case was not presented in any court

Journalist Union Status

PFUJ

"Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) also strongly condemned the attack on Peshawar Press Club by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and kidnapping of persons who were holding a press conference inside the premises of PPC. In joint statement, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi said that press clubs all over the world are respected places and entrance of police or security officials are regarded as state interferences and denial of press freedom. “This is a worst example set by KP police of harassment and a case of desecration and disrespect to the sanctity of the press club,” they said. They said such incidents bring a bad name to the country as harassment and kidnapping of persons is an illegal act of police, adding that free speech or expression is a constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan. “How can police stop people from expressing and elaborating their issues through press conference and that too peacefully?” the PFUJ leadership questioned. They demanded an enquiry into the incident and stern action against those who are responsible for attacking the press club. "

APNS

CPNE

PBA

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

"The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) condemned the police raid on the press Club, saying this was the first time that the police besieged the club. In a statement, the president and general secretary, Fida Khattak and Naeem Khan respectively demanded action against DSP for threatening members of the transgender community and press club's finance secretary Yasir Hussain or else they would stage protests throughout the province. "

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: Peshawar press club asked the government to take action against the DSP for raiding the press club and trying to prevent the transgender community members from highlighting their problems.

Press club 2:

Press club 3: