Journalists "brutally tortured" by CM KP’s security in Lahore; Press club demands action

LAHORE: The Lahore Press Club on Saturday strongly condemned and protested the brutal treatment of journalists by the security guards of Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, ARY News reported.

The Press Club has demanded that the CM take immediate action against his security guards, warning that if no action is taken, all future ceremonies and events involving the CM will be boycotted by the media.

Witnesses reported that the security guards physically assaulted and shoved several senior journalists, including Rao Dilshad, Adnan Sheikh, Ulfat Mughal, and Waqas Ghouri, among others.

In a formal statement, the Press Club asserted that the behavior of the guards proved they lacked basic civility, adding that such incidents of violence against the media would not be tolerated.

The club further criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleging that the party has established a troubling tradition of torture, misconduct, and uncivilized behavior toward journalists.

Earlier, the PTI has distanced itself from controversial remarks made by a woman protester during a rally in the United Kingdom against Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir.

PTI UK has also removed a video from its official account on X related to the recent protest in Bradford, which featured the woman’s remarks targeting the army chief.

In a statement, PTI Pakistan said it has no association with the woman or her comments made during the protest. The party clarified that the woman is not a PTI office-bearer and that her views, language, and style of speech do not reflect the party’s official stance.

PTI reiterated its opposition, in principle, to violence, incitement, hate speech, and the use of offensive or inappropriate language. The party said it firmly believes in a democratic, constitutional, and peaceful political struggle and does not support any conduct contrary to these principles by any individual or group.

Separately, PTI UK said the video was deleted “out of an abundance of caution” to prevent any potential misunderstanding and to ensure legal protection of the individual and her rights.

The statement added that PTI does not endorse unlawful behaviour of any kind and advised independent citizens to exercise restraint in their remarks to avoid misinterpretation.

PTI reaffirmed its commitment to non-violence and the rule of law, stating that the party continues to follow the guidance of its founder, Imran Khan.