Journalists of the military-torn province of Balochistan are facing direct threats from law enforcement agencies, particularly from the Frontier Constabulary (FC), a paramilitary force operating against nationalists demanding constitutional autonomy.
On August 18, 2009, the Daily Asaap, the most widely circulated Urdu-language newspaper of Balochistan province, was forced to cease its publication after receiving threats from unknown persons. The newspapers office at Quetta was cordoned off by the FC and an armored car was sighted outside the main gate. The chief editor of the newspaper, Mr. Jan Mohammad Dashti, was attacked by unknown persons and was seriously injured.
The newspaper, before closing its publication, made a public announcement: With absolute pain and sorrow, we wish to inform the respected readers of Asaap and the Baloch people that our office in Quetta has been under siege by the Frontier Corps and security forces for the past two weeks. These forces were busy humiliating every visitor and staff member who came to our office. Asaap is the only newspaper where security forces have been deployed. These forces are engaged in regular search and harassment of staff members and visitors. Since the government decided to move a tank outside the Asaap offices, the situation remarkably worsened. Due to this, all of our staff members have panicked and are unable to concentrate on their professional responsibilities. In such a situation, the Daily Asaap is left with two options: either to temporarily or permanently shut its publication, or to prepare for clashes between the security forces and the staff members of the newspaper. For Asaap, the personal safety of all its staff members, the majority of whom are young people, is extremely important. Therefore, the Asaap management has decided that the newspaper will not be published from Quetta and Turbat.
Earlier this year on February 23, the chief editor of the newspaper, Mr. Jan Mohammad Dashti, along with his driver, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt allegedly carried out by state intelligence agencies. After the incident, the paper had reiterated its commitment to uninterrupted publication.
Journalists of the newspaper have also been victims of numerous forms of harassment, including body search and threat calls. Mr. Malik Siraj Akber, a regular columnist for the Daily Asaap and Bureau Chief of the Daily Times, is under continuous threat by intelligence officials since publishing an article on the Times of India on August 11, 2009. The government accused him of being an agent for India.
The Daily Asaap had been targeted by the Pakistani government ever since its publication of a list of 179 disappeared women missing since 2002. The government had stopped its legal share of official advertisements to penalize the newspaper for its advocacy for the constitutional rights of the Baloch people. Two books published by Asaap, In a Baloch Perspective and To See the Voice of Reason authored by Dr. Naseer Dashti, were also banned by the provincial government in 2008.
Encroachment upon press freedom is only one reflection of the poor human rights situation in Balochistan province. Since the beginning of the War on Terror, the province had become the main target of continuous military operations. The Pakistan Air Force had conducted numerous aerial bombings and deployed gunship helicopters on unarmed people. According to nationalist groups, more than 4000 persons are missing from the province alone.
After coming to power, the Asif Zardari government claimed in 2008 that it had stopped the military operations in the Balochistan province. It also vowed that law and order in the province would be restored by the FC. However, reports have since been received regarding arbitrary arrests and detentions carried out by the FC. According to information the AHRC received, more than 300 persons have been arrested, among them students and journalists. Funding from international communities for combating terrorism has allegedly been used against nationalist forces.
The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the government of Pakistan to order an immediate withdrawal of the FC from Balochistan province. It also urges the government to allow the Daily Asaap to resume its publication and to respect the rights of media professionals to free speech and free press. The government should prevent state agencies from interfering with the media and take effective measures to ensure a safe and liberal environment for journalists to work in. The government is strongly advised to observe the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which Pakistan is a signatory.
