Inquiry ordered as Islamabad police assault journalists at National Press Club
Pakistan
State minister issues unconditional apology to journalist community while journalist groups question accountability for police misconduct following violent press club raid.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A protest organised by the Azad Kashmir Awami Action Committee outside the National Press Club spiralled into chaos on Thursday when Islamabad police forced their way into the building.
Witnesses said officers stormed the premises, smashing property in the cafeteria and physically assaulting journalists present inside. The incident, which also saw a press club employee reportedly taken away by police, has drawn widespread condemnation from the journalist community.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar termed the raid “deeply unfortunate,” declaring that the press club was “like my own home” and insisting that no one had the right to storm inside. He assured journalists that a full inquiry would be carried out into the incident.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi swiftly took notice, seeking a detailed report from the Inspector General of Islamabad Police. He ordered a thorough investigation and warned that violence against journalists “would not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry later told reporters that the clashes erupted when some protesters manhandled police officers, including a Superintendent of Police and a Station House Officer. Police, in pursuit of the protesters, entered the National Press Club, where the confrontation escalated.
Chaudhry admitted that the storming of the press club was “a sudden and regrettable development.” He said that police officers entered in an attempt to arrest those who had clashed with law enforcement during the protest.
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In a rare move, Talal Chaudhry issued an unconditional apology to journalists inside the National Press Club. “As soon as I learnt of the incident, I strongly condemned it, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi immediately dispatched me here,” he said. “On behalf of Islamabad Police and the Ministry of Interior, I apologise to all journalists. We are guardians of freedom of expression, and it is through your work that our voice reaches the people.”
Chaudhry added that an internal inquiry had been ordered by the Interior Minister and promised that any police personnel found guilty would face action. He assured journalists that the government would accept whatever decision their representatives made regarding the incident.
Following the raid, senior officials including Principal Information Officer Mubashir Hassan also arrived at the National Press Club to engage with journalist leaders. The event has reignited debate about press freedom in Pakistan, with journalist unions demanding accountability for the police raid. The Ministry of Interior has pledged to provide a full report once the inquiry concludes, but no timeline has yet been given.
