Two Journalists Detained in Balochistan Under PECA Amid Allegations of Rights Violations and Abductions

May 10, 2026 – Pakistan –

Authorities in Balochistan have arrested journalist Maqbool Jaffar under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), while a separate case in Quetta has seen another journalist remanded to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), intensifying concerns over press freedom, due process, and the use of cybercrime laws against media professionals in the province.

In Panjgur, Maqbool Jaffar was reportedly detained during a late-night operation and initially taken to an undisclosed location before being formally booked under PECA provisions. According to accounts cited by local participants and media observers, the arrest followed his public commentary on social and civic issues, which authorities later linked to allegations of unlawful online activity. He was subsequently presented before a court and handed over on physical remand to the FIA for further investigation.

Rights advocates and local representatives condemned the detention, describing it as part of a broader pattern of intimidation against journalists in Balochistan. They argued that the use of cybercrime legislation in such cases risks being applied to silence dissenting voices and restrict reporting on sensitive political and security issues. Concerns were also raised that the arrest took place without clear public disclosure of evidence at the time of detention.

In a separate development in Quetta, another journalist was produced before a court and subsequently remanded to FIA custody after appearing in legal proceedings linked to an ongoing investigation. While official details of the allegations have not been fully disclosed, the case adds to a growing list of journalists in the region facing legal action under cybercrime and electronic communications laws.

Media rights groups have highlighted that journalists in Balochistan continue to face a combination of legal pressure, enforced disappearances of relatives, and abduction-related incidents targeting communities and activists. Reports from human rights monitors indicate that intimidation and coercive practices remain persistent challenges for reporters documenting political, security, and human rights issues in the province.

Advocacy organizations have called for transparency in both cases, urging authorities to ensure that due process is upheld and that journalistic activity is not conflated with criminal conduct. They emphasize that the continued reliance on PECA provisions in press-related cases risks deepening self-censorship and weakening independent reporting in one of Pakistan’s most sensitive regions.

The cases remain under investigation as legal proceedings continue, with press freedom observers closely monitoring developments amid broader concerns over shrinking space for independent journalism in Balochistan.

Reference –

Balochistan: Two Brothers Abducted in Panjgur, Journalist Maqbool Jaffar arrested under PECA Act

https://www.journalismpakistan.com/quetta-journalist-remanded-to-fia-after-court-appearance