Protest outside KPC againstsentencing of activists
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), along with lawyers, journalists and members of civil society, staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club on Monday against the punishment awarded to social activists Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chatha for posting tweets, while also condemning restrictions on freedom of expression under the PECA Act.
Before the protest began, police blocked roads around the Karachi Press Club by placing containers at multiple locations, including Fawara Chowk, YMCA, Sarwar Shaheed Road and Zainab Market Cut. Buses and containers were stationed on surrounding roads, and a heavy police contingent was deployed in the area.
Due to the road closures, journalists, media workers and employees of nearby offices faced severe difficulties in commuting. Police sealed three sides of the KPC, leaving only a narrow passage open near the YMCA, which caused congestion and inconvenience for journalists, workers and even local residents. Several journalists were unable to reach the Press Club, while others remained stranded inside for hours. People repeatedly asked when the blocked routes would be reopened.
The protest was led by HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt. Participants included Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jameeli, Saeed Sarbazi, Arif Baloch, Saeed Baloch, Mazhar Abbas, Tahir Hasan Khan, Qazi Khizar, Dr Tauseef Ahmed and others. The Karachi Press Club and the Karachi Union of Journalists formally expressed solidarity with the protesters.
Demonstrators raised slogans demanding the immediate release of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha, declaring the PECA Act a "black law," and calling for an end to false cases. Other chants condemned what protesters described as a "baton-and-bullet" approach by the authorities and demanded protection of freedom of expression.
Addressing the gathering, Asad Iqbal Butt and other speakers strongly criticised the passage and enforcement of repressive laws by a democratic government. The speakers also condemned the police action of blocking roads around the Press Club, terming it an attempt to criminalise a peaceful protest. They said restricting access to the Press Club was shameful and dangerous for democracy, warning that suppressing freedom of expression would ultimately harm the government itself.
The protesters demanded the immediate release of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha and vowed to continue their peaceful struggle until their demands were met. They also appealed to the public to raise their voices in support of the activists and for the protection of freedom of expression.