Pak: Police tortures journalist for reporting alleged corruption of senior cop

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 12 (ANI): A journalist was tortured by the Pakistan local police after exposing alleged corruption by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), ARY News reported.
Khursheed Rajput, a journalist from Tando Adam, with a friend, was presented in court by the police, who requested a remand.
However, the civil magistrate rejected the plea and ordered that the journalist be sent to jail instead, as reported by ARY News.
The police charged Rajput with robbery and possession of illegal weapons, however, the journalist said that these were false and fabricated charges as retaliation for his reporting on the SSP's corrupt activities.
Rajput also revealed that the SHO of Tando Adam recorded his indecent videos while he was being tortured.
Earlier, a Pakistan local journalist from the Nowshera city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was shot dead by some unidentified assailants, ARY News reported.
The local police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed that the print media journalist, Hasan Zaib, was shot dead by some unidentified armed assailants in Akbarpura village of Nowshera.
The attackers were on motorcycles and fatally shot Hasan Zaib, who worked for a local newspaper, in a crowded market area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's chief minister KP - Ali Amin Gandapur took immediate notice of the murder and demanded a comprehensive report from senior police officials, as reported by ARY News.
The CM further emphasised that those involved in the murder would not evade justice and assured that the culprits would be apprehended soon.
Journalists in Pakistan often face threats and violence, both from state actors and non-state actors. This includes physical attacks, intimidation, and harassment, which can lead to self-censorship.
The Pakistani state has been accused of manipulating media coverage through direct censorship, controlling access to information, and manipulating narratives through state-owned or controlled media outlets.
Organisations like Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Freedom House regularly monitor press freedom in Pakistan, highlighting instances of censorship, attacks on journalists, and legal restrictions that hinder freedom of expression. (ANI)