By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: A media watchdog organization, Freedom Network (FN), published a monthly report that the situation in Pakistan for journalists is deteriorating day by day, as at least eight cases of threats, attacks and legal pressure against journalists and media practitioners were documented across Pakistan in August 2026,
The cases were reported from Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Punjab recording five incidents, Islamabad two and KP one.
In Lahore, Khabrein Media Group editor Talal Ishtiaq received death threats over the phone at the newspaper’s office on August 10. Two calls were reportedly made, with the caller using abusive language and warning him of serious consequences. Police were informed and reached the office.
A day earlier, Khabrein Executive Editor Imtinan Shahid also received death threats. The caller reportedly threatened Shahid, his family and the newspaper’s offices and warned him against involvement with the organization’s chief executive. Shahid filed a complaint and preserved the call recordings.
In Vehari, UrduPoint correspondent Inam Ullah was allegedly assaulted and threatened at his home on August 22 after reporting on the alleged abduction and torture of a labourer by police and alleged corruption. Armed men reportedly fled after residents intervened and fired shots into the air. An earlier incident of harassment had also been reported in connection with his coverage.
In South Waziristan, more than 20 armed men allegedly surrounded journalist Lal Wazir’s home on August 26 while asking his family about his whereabouts. The men reportedly threatened to take a family member hostage if Wazir did not return.
In Taunsa Sharif, GTV correspondent Saghir Hussain Shah was allegedly threatened and manhandled while filming an injured person at a hospital for a news report. The incident reportedly involved people linked to the opposing party. Police arrested an alleged perpetrator following the incident.
In Islamabad, senior journalist and anchorperson Azaz Syed received two notices from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) within two days, requiring him to appear before investigators. Syed appeared with his lawyer and submitted a written response. The report noted that the precise basis of the inquiry was not publicly established.
Another Islamabad-based journalist, Kashmir Times reporter Danish Irshad, was placed on the Fourth Schedule under the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, according to an AJK Home Department notification. Irshad said the order did not specify any personal offence or particular journalistic content.
Geo News senior reporter Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai was served a legal notice by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi seeking Rs200 million in damages over remarks made during live coverage of a fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. The notice alleged defamation and demanded removal of the content, a public retraction and an apology.
According to the report, four print journalists, two television journalists, one digital journalist and one freelance media professional faced threats, attacks or legal pressure during the month. Six cases involved alleged non-state actors, while two involved state authorities. Despite the reported cases, several same kind of undocumented reports also surfaced from Khyber and Peshawar districts, where journalists were intimidated and threatened due to their news and views of different public interests. It is also heard that a few journalists from Khyber district were on the run for their lives’ protection, as they have received threats to death. The families of the hiding journalists said they do not know where they are, but remain deeply concerned about their well-being because they fear their lives are at serious risk.
