ANP’s Asghar Khan Achakzai Condemns FIA Inquiry Against Journalist Baizid Khan Khoroti
Chaman:The Provincial President of the Awami National Party (ANP), Asghar Khan Achakzai, has strongly condemned the inquiry initiated by the Divisional Commissioner against renowned journalist Baizid Khan Khoroti through the state agency, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He called the action malicious and a blatant attack on press freedom and the right to free speech.
Achakzai remarked that the state of democracy in the country, particularly in Balochistan and Pashtunkhwa, was worse than the worst forms of dictatorship. He criticized the ruling elite, noting that they were not accustomed to hearing the truth, and now even the bureaucratic elite had lost the capacity to tolerate or hear it. He pointed out that free journalism, which is a cornerstone of genuine democracy, was under threat, as powerful elites and the bureaucracy were attempting to undermine and control this essential pillar of democracy.
He stated that the accusations leveled against Baizid Khan Khoroti in the notice from the state agencies were nothing more than an attempt to malign his character, tarnish his reputation, and humiliate him. Achakzai added that a few journalists who have resisted the pressures of sensationalism and the “yellow journalism” culture were now being harassed by the state machinery, after the ruling elites failed to silence them through other means.
He condemned the FIA’s inquiry against Khoroti as baseless and unjustified, demanding an immediate halt to such actions. Achakzai emphasized that any attempt to curtail press freedom or freedom of speech, regardless of whether it comes from the ruling elite, state institutions, or bureaucrats, was unacceptable. He expressed full solidarity with Baizid Khan Khoroti and all media organizations, offering the ANP’s complete support and cooperation in this matter.
