Three journalists in Quetta have had cases registered against them under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), and their homes have reportedly been raided, in an episode that has sharpened concern among journalist bodies about the use of cybercrime law against the press in Balochistan.
The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered the cases against Agha Obaid, Maqbool Jafar and Sana Achakzai, according to a report published on 5 November. None of the three journalists has been arrested.
The action follows a vlog posted by Agha Obaid on 31 October, and comes two days after journalists across Balochistan observed a Black Day on 3 November to protest against media restrictions, layoffs and the closure of television bureau offices in the province.
What happened in Quetta
According to the report, the NCCIA registered cases against the three Quetta-based journalists under PECA, while their homes were reportedly raided. The exact sections of the law invoked in the cases have not been made public.
Agha Obaid says he was not served any notice before the first information report (FIR) was registered against him. He says the action was prompted by a four-minute vlog he posted on 31 October, in which he discussed speculation circulating in the city and information he had received from his sources.
“On October 29 and 30, various speculations were circulating in the city. After that, eight to nine sources gave me different pieces of information,” Agha Obaid said. “On October 31, I made a four-minute vlog. About half an hour later, the NCCIA registered an FIR against me under PECA, and the next day my house was raided.”
The NCCIA was approached for comment on the cases, but no response was received.
“No notice before the FIR,” say the journalists
Maqbool Jafar, who is associated with Balochistan Image News, described the action as vindictive and criticised both the government and the NCCIA. He alleged that some officials posted at the NCCIA had previously served in the Counter Terrorism Department and had faced serious allegations in the past.
“If a journalist has made a mistake, a notice should be issued to them under the legal procedure,” Maqbool Jafar said. “But we are being treated as if we are not journalists but terrorists.”
He further alleged that homes are raided in the dead of night, that journalists are beaten, that women in the houses are harassed, and that in some operations no lady constables are even present. These claims have not been independently verified.
The third journalist named in the cases, Sana Achakzai, has not been quoted in the reporting published so far.
The government’s position: cases over “fake news”
Shahid Rind, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, confirmed that the cases against the three individuals were registered through the NCCIA. According to him, the spread of fake news has become a major challenge for the government.
“The government has the right to take legal action against fake news,” Shahid Rind said. “Legal action is necessary to curb fake news.”
The government’s position, as stated by Rind, is that the cases were registered because of the spread of false information. The authorities have not said which specific reports or statements they consider false, and no details of the FIRs have been published.
Aaj News also carried the Balochistan government’s statement on the matter, in which the Chief Minister’s House rejected reports about a raid on the premises and challenged what it described as baseless reporting.
Union opens inquiry as pressure on journalists grows
Manzoor Baloch, president of the Balochistan Union of Journalists, said the union began an inquiry under its established procedure as soon as it learned of the incident, and is contacting the named journalists to ascertain their position and the facts.
“When journalists report a story, they should have the evidence and relevant information to back it up, which can also be presented in court,” Manzoor Baloch said. “If the named journalists stand by their report and their position, the union will stand with them and, if necessary, will support them all the way to the NCCIA. However, if some other matter emerges in the investigation, it will be dealt with accordingly.”
Abdul Hakeem Zareen, a senior lawyer at the Balochistan High Court, also expressed concern over the incident. He said a constitutional petition can be filed against the authorities concerned over the episode.
The Quetta cases come against a wider backdrop of pressure on the press. Journalists across Balochistan observed Black Day on Tuesday 3 November, on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, protesting against media restrictions, alleged forced layoffs, unpaid salaries and the closure of television news bureau offices. Union leaders said around 10 television channels had closed their bureau offices in Balochistan, leaving about 150 journalists and media workers unemployed — figures that could not be independently verified.
Freedom Network’s Impunity Report 2026 documented 97 violations against the media and its practitioners between October 2025 and August 2026. Separately, the Human Rights Council of Pakistan said on 2 November that at least 31 criminal cases were registered against journalists between January and October 2026, with 14 facing charges under PECA. According to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Pakistan ranks 153rd out of 180 countries.
For now, the three Quetta journalists remain free, their cases registered but no arrests made. What happens next will depend on whether the NCCIA pursues the cases in court — and whether the journalists’ union, which has promised to stand by them if they stand by their reporting, takes the matter further.
Related reading: IHC Orders PTA, Pemra, NCCIA to Report on Online Harassment Enforcement.
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