The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), and the National Press Club (NPC) have expressed grave concern over what they termed a “one-sided trial” against senior journalist and investigative reporter at The Express Tribune, Shahbaz Rana, in a local Islamabad court.
In an emergency meeting chaired by PFUJ President Afzal Butt at the National Press Club, participants reviewed Rana’s investigative report, which they said was based entirely on official records, documents, and even video evidence of the prime minister.
Despite this, they noted, both civil and criminal proceedings had been initiated against him, while none of the other respondents named in the petition 1, including the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Finance Secretary, the Interior Secretary, the Establishment Secretary, and the Islamabad IG, had been issued notices.
The meeting condemned the trial court’s actions as a violation of fair trial principles. PFUJ President Butt urged the Islamabad High Court to immediately intervene, stressing that denying a prominent investigative journalist the right to a fair hearing raises serious questions about the justice system and has caused deep concern across the journalist community.
