ISLAMABAD: Prominent journalist unions in Pakistan have threatened nationwide protests following the registration of a police case by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government against Daily Jammu & Kashmir, a leading Urdu-language newspaper based in Muzaffarabad, on charges of publishing “fake news” and “negative propaganda” against state authorities.
The case, filed by the Azad Kashmir Home Department on April 6, alleges that reports published in the newspaper’s March 26 and 28 editions included inaccurate information regarding the formation of a new paramilitary Rangers force in the region. Officials claim the articles were damaging to public order and the reputation of government institutions.
According to the complaint, the newspaper violated several provisions of the Azad Penal Code (APC), including those pertaining to defamation and criticism of government officials. The charges fall under a controversial 2023 amendment to Section 505 of the APC, which criminalizes public criticism of government figures and carries penalties of at least seven years in prison.
The case has sparked a strong backlash from journalist bodies across Pakistan.
“If this FIR is not withdrawn, we will launch a protest campaign from every village and city in Azad Kashmir to all provinces of Pakistan,” warned Afzal Butt, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), in a video statement. He described the case as unprecedented, noting it may be the first of its kind in AJK’s history.
The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) also condemned the move, calling it “a direct attack on press freedom” and “a cowardly act.”
“This FIR must be withdrawn immediately,” said RIUJ President Tariq Ali Virk. “If these authoritarian tactics continue, we will soon unveil a detailed protest strategy.”
The incident comes amid broader concerns over press freedoms and civil liberties in Azad Kashmir, which, while nominally self-governed, remains under strong administrative and political influence from Pakistan’s central government.
Tensions in the region escalated last year after protests over inflation led to violent clashes that left four people dead and over 100 injured. The unrest was quelled following an $86 million relief package announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which included subsidies on essential items like flour and electricity.
The dispute also casts a spotlight on the sensitive nature of the Kashmir region, which has been a flashpoint between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan since 1947. Although a ceasefire agreement signed in early 2021 has brought relative calm along the Line of Control (LoC), diplomatic ties between the two countries remain frozen.