ALMOST every time there is a protest held in front the Karachi Press Club (KPC), roads leading to the venue are blocked with containers and buses. The practice effectively turns the club into an isolated place, posing problems to journalists, activists and passers-by alike. Such blockades have been repeatedly justified by the relevant authorities in the name of security and law-and-order concerns.

For long, the club has served as a venue where political parties, trade unions, human rights organisations, civil society groups and representatives of marginalised communities come to get their voice heard. While the authorities may have legitimate security concerns, such measures should be proportionate and temporary.

Tahir Hasan Khan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2026