Hamid Mir Condemns Alleged Police Assault on Reporter, Calls It a Threat to Press Freedom
Lahore: Senior journalist and television anchor Hamid Mir has strongly condemned the alleged assault by Punjab Police on a TV reporter during the coverage of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Lahore, describing the incident as a serious threat to press freedom.
In a statement posted on X, Mir said that the alleged public assault on a journalist, followed by his detention, not only obstructed the performance of professional duties but also sent a message of intimidation to the wider media community.
ایک اکیلا صحافی پنجاب پولیس کے ڈنڈوں اور گھونسوں کا سامنا کر رہا ہے ذرا سوچیئے کہ کیا اتنی مار پٹائی پولیس والے اپنی مرضی سے کر سکتے ہیں؟ یہ چند سیکنڈ کی ویڈیو اس پنجاب کی تصویر دکھا رہی ہے جس کی گورننس کو ایک مثال بنا کر پیش کیا جاتا ہے اگر پنجاب میں یہ حال ہے تو باقی صوبوں میں… https://t.co/hztCllGsC5
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) August 5, 2026
Referring to a video of the incident, Mir questioned whether police personnel could have carried out such an assault on their own. He said the footage reflected the prevailing situation in Punjab, which is often presented as a model of good governance. He added that if journalists were facing such treatment in Punjab, the situation for media workers in other provinces could be even more difficult.
Mir also criticized the timing of the incident, saying that while Pakistan was observing Kashmir Exploitation Day, attempts were allegedly being made to suppress journalism in Punjab. He remarked that the provincial government had effectively turned the day into a “Day of Exploitation of Journalism.”
آج حکومت پاکستان “یوم استحصال کشمیر” منا رہی ہے لیکن حکومت پنجاب نے آج کا دن “ یوم استحصال صحافت” بنا دیا ہے آج TV کے رپورٹر ناطق ریحان پر پنجاب پولیس کے وحشیانہ تشدد کے خلاف لاہور پریس کلب نے مذمتی بیان جاری کر دیا ہے جس کے بعد پریس کلب کے عہدیداران کو بھی ٹارگٹ کیا جا سکتا ہے pic.twitter.com/Ysh0Rdpt3F
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) August 5, 2026
He noted that the Lahore Press Club had issued a statement condemning the alleged assault on court reporter Natiq Rehan and expressed concern that the club’s office-bearers could also face pressure or action following their criticism.
According to Mir, police officials were informed that the individual was a journalist performing his professional responsibilities. Despite this, he alleged that the reporter was beaten, taken into custody, placed in a police prison van, and later released.
Mir concluded that the purpose of the alleged action was not merely to target one journalist but to send a warning to the entire media community, leaving journalists wondering who might be targeted next.
پنجاب پولیس کوبتایا بھی گیا یہ صحافی ہے اسکو مت مارو لیکن انہوں نے ایک نہ سنی سرعام ایک صحافی کے ساتھ مارپیٹ کر کے قیدیوں کی وین میں صحافی کو بند کر دیا یہ ایک پیغام تھا جو سب صحافیوں کو دینا تھا پیغام دینے کے بعد اس صحافی کو چھوڑ دیا اب سب صحافی انتظار کریں اگلی باری کس کی ہے؟ pic.twitter.com/HMhonCKQL7
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) August 5, 2026
