The Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Balochistan on Media and Political Affairs, Shahid Rind, invited the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) to propose a draft of provincial journalists’ protection law for discussion with the provincial government. He extended the invitation while addressing a Provincial Convention on Media Laws, Regulations, and Ethics held at the Quetta Press Club on February 24, 2026.
The convention was organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) as part of its nationwide campaign on media freedoms and safety. Over 200 participants including legislators, journalists, and representatives of political parties, lawyers’ associations and civil society organizations attended the convention. The journalistic representation included presidents of 13 press clubs and journalists’ unions from across Balochistan.
What did the speakers say?
Speakers highlighted the challenges facing journalists in Balochistan, including targeted killings, threats, social media harassment, lack of legal protection, economic insecurity, and increasing self-censorship. It was noted that around 30 journalists have been killed in the province without accountability. Concerns were raised over the misuse of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and its amendments, as well as other laws perceived to restrict press freedom.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt stated that the objective of the provincial conventions is to gather recommendations from journalists and stakeholders at the grassroots level. “The purpose of holding these conventions is to consolidate recommendations and present them to the government and Parliament so that meaningful amendments can be made to existing media laws,” he said.
President of BUJ, Manzoor Ahmed Rind, stated that while media in Balochistan continues to operate under challenging circumstances, protection mechanisms for journalists remain inadequate. He noted that 30 journalists have been killed in the province. He also pointed to delays in the operationalization of the Right to Information framework in the province.
Former PFUJ Secretary General Nasir Zaidi observed that successive governments have introduced regulatory measures affecting media freedom. He emphasized the importance of stakeholder consultation prior to the enactment of legislation and reiterated PFUJ’s position seeking review of certain provisions of existing media laws.
The convention concluded with a commitment to compile recommendations from the Quetta meeting along with inputs from other regional consultations for submission at the national level.
