Journalist Support Cash Awards Presented to Mian Zahid Owaisi and Syed Liaquat Ali Rizvi
Ehsan Ahmed Sehar expresses solidarity with injured journalist, presents RSF Urdu handbook and UNESCO digital material, calls for withdrawal of PECA
Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar, who is also the founder of Journalists Alliance Pakistan (JAP), presented Journalist Support Cash Awards of Rs10,000 each, along with honorary shields, to Bahawalpur journalist Mian Zahid Owaisi and senior Hatheji journalist Syed Liaquat Ali Rizvi at a ceremony held at Punjab College, Ahmedpur East.
The two awards were sponsored by Muhammad Sajjad Khan Baloch, a Pakistani businessman based in the United Kingdom, who provided the funds for the cash awards.
Ehsan Ahmed Sehar expresses solidarity with Mian Zahid Owaisi
Ehsan Ahmed Sehar also presented Mian Zahid Owaisi with the Urdu edition of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Handbook for Journalists and UNESCO digital media material.
Expressing solidarity with Owaisi, Ehsan Ahmed Sehar said that the Rs10,000 cash award was primarily a gesture of solidarity with the journalist, who continues to seek justice following a violent attack against him.
He said he would try to motivate an international organisation to provide financial support to Mian Zahid Owaisi.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Sehar said, stressing that the journalist should receive justice without further delay.
Rural Media Network Pakistan President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar presents the RSF Handbook for Journalists and UNESCO digital media material to Mian Zahid Owaisi, District Crime In-charge of Daily Khabrain, who was subjected to violence in Bahawalpur.
Journalist still awaiting justice after June attack
According to the Journalists Alliance Pakistan report, Mian Zahid Owaisi was selected for the Journalist Support Cash Award following an incident in Bahawalpur city on June 7, 2026, when he was reportedly attacked and severely injured by ten assailants.
Owaisi remained under treatment at Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, for several days, and nine stitches were required for his injuries. Nearly three months after the incident, he is still awaiting justice, according to the report.
Ehsan Ahmed Sehar strongly criticised the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and demanded that the government withdraw the law. He said journalists must be able to perform their professional duties without intimidation, undue legal pressure or misuse of legislation.
Award presented to senior Hatheji journalist
The second Journalist Support Cash Award was presented to Syed Liaquat Ali Rizvi, patron-in-chief of Hatheji Press Club. He is also Vice President of the Journalists Alliance Pakistan Rural and Town Press Clubs Southern Punjab Chapter.
Syed Liaquat Ali Rizvi established Hatheji Press Club in 2013 and has continued to contribute to journalism and the cause of press freedom in the area
Hatheji: journalists working in a difficult local environmen
Hatheji is a rural locality of Bahawalpur district where journalists work in a challenging social environment marked by strong traditional, feudal and religious influences. The area has also appeared in previous security and terrorism-related reporting.
In 2010, Bahawalpur police reported the arrest of seven suspected militants belonging to banned militant organisations in a case involving planned attacks and other terrorist offences. Police at the time also alleged that the group was involved in the murder of a former SSP activist in Hatheji.
Such incidents underline the difficult circumstances in which local journalists and press organisations have operated.
Rs60,000 distributed among six journalists
The awards are part of an initiative launched on the motivation of JAP founder Ehsan Ahmed Sehar.
Since May 2026, Journalist Support Cash Awards totalling Rs60,000 have been distributed among six journalists from Samasatta, Ahmedpur East, Bahawalpur city and Hatheji.
The initiative is intended to demonstrate solidarity with journalists facing difficult circumstances and to provide modest financial support and encouragement to members of the journalistic community.
Journalists attend ceremony
Office-bearers and members of the Ahmedpur Union of Journalists Workers and journalists from Ahmedpur East attended the ceremony. Those present included Hamidullah Khan Aziz, Shabbir Ahmed Qureshi, Ahmed Ali Chaudhry, Malik Rashid Mahmood Chanter, Zahid Baloch, Jameel Mahmood, Aneesa Kanwal, Khadim Hussain Shaheen Lashari, Malik Sajjad, Shah Wali Khan, Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmed, Muhammad Jamshed Bhatti, Muhammad Khalid Nawaz Khan and Muhammad Yousaf Ghani Qureshi.
Supporting journalists under pressure
The Journalist Support Cash Awards initiative seeks to demonstrate solidarity with journalists facing violence, threats, financial hardship or other professional difficulties and to encourage them to continue their journalistic work.
