Pakistan: CFWIJ and Women Press Freedom Demand Investigation into Raid on Tahira Baloch’s Residence in Balochistan
Home raid of renowned regional journalist underscores the perilous conditions for journalists in the region
Location: Pakistan, Balochistan
Date: December 2, 2023
Unknown men forcibly raided the residence of Tahira Baloch, a renowned TV anchor and social media activist, in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s western province Balochistan. In a province where enforced disappearances are widespread — and where women are at the forefront of movements against such practices — the protection of journalists like Tahira Baloch is crucial. The Coalition For Women in Journalism and Women Press Freedom have documented threats to journalists in and from Balochistan — including the killing of Shaheena Shaheen Baloch and the death of human rights defender Karima Baloch — underscoring the perilous conditions for the press in the region. We stand in solidarity with Tahira Baloch and demand a thorough and transparent investigation by the Pakistani authorities into this raid. We also call upon the international community to join us in condemning this act and to work towards ensuring the safety and freedom of the media in Pakistan, especially in conflict-affected areas like Balochistan.
“Such raids seem to be conducted to send a message that anyone can be targeted,” Somaiyah Hafeez, a Baloch journalist based in Pakistan, tells CFWIJ about a raid on the home of Tahira Baloch, a renowned regional journalist, terming it “concerning and terrifying.”
“It sends a message out that none of us is safe and that it can happen to us as well, without a warrant,” Somaiyah Hafeez tells CFWIJ.
According to Zulfikar Ali Zulfi, a Baloch writer and Tahira’s husband, alleged Pakistani security forces raided their residence around 3 to 3:30 AM. He detailed that individuals dressed in civilian clothing scaled the walls of their home and forcibly entered the premises, after which they subjected the couple to a barrage of questions during a thorough search of the house.
Zulfi said the men threatened them not to delve too deeply into their identity for their own safety.
Somaiyah Hafeez, who reports on crucial stories from Balochistan, explains that while press freedom is limited and threatened all over Pakistan, the situation is particularly dangerous and tougher for journalists in Balochistan, a region embroiled in conflict for decades.
“Balochistan is an information black hole, and there are few journalists reporting from there on-ground. Such raids seem to be conducted to send a message that anyone can be targeted.”
“Balochistan is an information black hole, and there are few journalists reporting from there on-ground,” she says.
The raid on Tahira’s home is not an isolated incident. In 2020, CFWIJ documented the killing of Turbat-based journalist Shaheena Shaheen Baloch, who had previously reported on narcotics, in an alleged honor killing. Human rights defender Karima Baloch, also from Balochistan, was found washed ashore at Lake Ontario in Toronto, Canada, as documented by CFWIJ. Her husband openly held Pakistan’s intelligence agency responsible for killing Karima and, in September this year, requested the Canadian government to reopen the case.
Balochistan, nestled at the southeastern end of the Iranian plateau and gracing the Arabian Sea's coastline, is primarily inhabited by ethnic Baloch. It is located in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, with most Balochs residing in Pakistan. The region's history is marred by strife, with several insurgencies demanding greater autonomy and a fair share of the region's rich natural resources. The Baloch in Pakistan have paid a heavy price, enduring severe human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and torture, allegedly at the hands of state security forces and their collaborators.
Hafeez tells CFWIJ that in a province where enforced disappearances are widespread and where Baloch women are leading the movement against it, the safety of Baloch journalists is crucial.
“Such incidents will only make it scarier for them to continue their work. (...) They will make anyone thinking of this vocation reconsider their decision”
“Such incidents will only make it scarier for them to continue their work. At a time when we need more Baloch women journalists to report on the issues faced by their communities, such incidences will make it difficult for the inclusion of Baloch women in journalism and make anyone thinking of this vocation reconsider their decision,” Somaiyah says.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is deeply troubled by the recent raid on the house of Tahira Baloch. This incident is not just an attack on an individual journalist but on the essence of freedom of expression and the right to report freely and safely. It sends a chilling message to other journalists, especially in Balochistan, a region already known for its limited press freedom and heightened risks for journalists. We stand in solidarity with Tahira Baloch and condemn this act of intimidation. The lack of transparency and accountability in this incident is unacceptable and requires immediate attention. We demand authorities investigate the matter and take concrete steps to ensure the safety and freedom of the press. Journalists, particularly women journalists, must be able to work without fear of retribution or harassment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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