Case Update Status

Journalist injured during protest, No FIR was registered.

Summary of Case

"On 4 July 2021, Senior photojournalist Sultan Bashir got injured while covering a students’ protest demonstration outside the Higher Education Commission (HEC) headquarters in Sector H-9.

While talking to Pakistan Observer, Sultan Bashir who has also worked for the newspaper for almost a decade, recalled it was a usual working day, the first day of the month and he was looking forward to filing something exclusive.

Meanwhile, a message started circulating in various media groups that some students of the secondary and the higher secondary grades were gathering outside the HEC to protest against holding in-person examinations for classes 9 to 12 which are scheduled to begin later this month.

Bashir reached the venue and took out his camera from the bag to take pictures.

“In the beginning it was a small protest and the students were standing with placards peacefully on the green belt in front of the HEC office, but as their number started building up, they grew violent and exchanged harsh words with police and started pelting stones at them, said Sultan Bashir.

Under such circumstances, we photographers take cover behind the police and so I decided to do so, he said.

However, as he was withdrawing from the protesting students to get shelter, a stone from nowhere hit him under the right ear. Sultan said some anchors and cameramen of different TV channels standing nearby spotted blood dripping from his ear and rushed him to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where he was given first aid.

The National Press Club of Islamabad (NPC), journalists and photojournalist’s community, civil society and rights organizations have condemned the incident and called upon the government to devise a mechanism for safety of journalists/cameramen during such protests."

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

Pakistan Observer

Date of incident

4

Month

July

Year

2021

Name of affected person

Sultan Bashir

Other affected persons

No other person affected

Name of affected organization

Pakistan Observer

Other affected organizations

No other organization affected

Action by

Protesters

City

Islamabad

Province

Capital Territory

Designation

Reporter

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 ?: No

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

N/A

APNS

CPNE

PBA

Media Source Status

Media reports:

Condemn Status

Colleague of victim

N/A

Employer organization

N/A

Press Club Status

Press club 1: N/A

Press club 2:

Press club 3: