RMNP Condemns Raid on District Press Club Khyber, Demands Independent Inquiry

ByEditorial Staff
RMNP Condemns Raid on District Press Club Khyber, Demands Independent Inquiry

Rural Media Network Pakistan calls for accountability, legal action against those involved, and guarantees for journalists’ safety

LANDI KOTAL / KHYBER, October 28, 2026: Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) has strongly condemned the raid on the District Press Club Khyber in Landi Kotal. It calls the incident a serious assault on press freedom and the sanctity of journalistic spaces. RMNP has demanded an independent, transparent inquiry and legal action against everyone found responsible.

What happened

According to reports, scores of masked men who identified themselves as police personnel entered the premises of the District Press Club Khyber on the evening of Sunday, October 25, 2026. They allegedly searched rooms and the conference hall before leaving.

Visuals reportedly aired on DawnNewsTV and shared by press club members appear to show personnel armed with batons attacking journalists and damaging equipment inside the club. RMNP is working to independently verify the full extent of the injuries and damage and will update this report as details are confirmed.

Press club response

An emergency meeting was held on Monday, October 26, under the chairmanship of Press Club President Aman Ali Shinwari, with members and freelance journalists in attendance. Participants described the raid as unlawful and a violation of the press club’s sanctity. They demanded an impartial investigation and legal action against those responsible.

The journalists reaffirmed that they would not compromise on the independence of journalism under any circumstances. They urged the relevant authorities to ensure journalists’ safety and to provide an environment where they can work without fear or interference.

The meeting unanimously decided to boycott all police-related activities and news coverage in Khyber until legal proceedings are initiated and an independent investigation is conducted. The journalists thanked the Jamrud Press Club, the Bara Press Club, other journalists’ unions, and political and social figures for their expressions of solidarity.

RMNP’s position

RMNP stands in full solidarity with the journalists of Khyber and condemns the raid in the strongest terms. In its statement, the network said:

  • Press clubs are places where journalists gather, work and hold the powerful to account. Entering them by force, searching them or intimidating those inside is unacceptable in a democratic society.
  • If members of the police were involved, the department must identify them, suspend them pending inquiry and face the consequences under the law. If the men were not police, those who impersonated law enforcement officers must be identified and prosecuted.
  • The inquiry must be independent and transparent, with its findings made public and journalists’ representatives given a role in the process.
  • Authorities must publicly assure journalists in Khyber and other rural and tribal districts that they can work without fear, harassment or reprisal.
  • Journalists affected by the raid, including those injured or whose equipment was damaged, must receive support and compensation.

RMNP also noted that journalists in rural and remote districts already work with limited resources and little protection, and that incidents like this deepen self-censorship and leave communities with less access to reliable information. Press bodies and rights organizations, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), are reported to have also condemned the intrusion.

RMNP urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the provincial police leadership and the relevant oversight bodies to act without delay, and said it will continue to monitor the case and support the Khyber press community.

Also from RMNP:

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