SUKKUR: Tangwani police on Thursday claimed to have lodged a case under the Peca Act against 28 persons, an overwhelming majority of them journalists, political activists and member of general public.

ASI Raham Ali Cholyani lodged an FIR on behalf of the state under Peca Act, 2016, against reporters of Sindh TV News from Kandhkot and Tangwani, Bari Malik, Lutf Malik, Attaur Rehman Malik, Ata Hussain Malik, Hafeez Malik, Subhan Malik; nationalist and religious leaders, Qari Kifayatullah Khoso, Rahamdil Lashari and 20 others.

The FIR cited reasons for the case, which included alleged misuse of social media, spreading chaos through Facebook and WhatsApp groups and defaming police and the law department.

Journalists’ reaction

Local journalists led by the persons nominated in the FIR including Attaur Rehman Malik, Bari Malik, reporter for Sindh TV News and Daily Jeejal, President of Citizen Alliance Qari Kifayatullah Khoso, Muhammad Sachal Malik, Rahamdil Lashari, Waqar Malik and others held a meeting at the Tangwani Press Club and decided not to seek bail in the case.

They announced holding protest today against the case and said that the Peca Act was invoked against them for protesting against growing lawlessness and reporting it.

They vowed to continue striving for peace and law and order and alleged that the police, instead of maintaining their writ and restoring peace, had filed a fabricated case against them for raising their voices against crumbling law and order in Tangwani and Kandhkot.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2025