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February 09, 2026 – Pakistan –
Pakistani journalist Bilal Ghauri was released on 9 February 2026 after being held overnight by law enforcement authorities at Islamabad International Airport, media freedom advocates and local outlets reported. Ghauri, a correspondent known for reporting on security, political developments, and human rights issues, said he was stopped and briefly detained upon returning to Pakistan from an overseas assignment.
According to Ghauri’s account and supporting reports, airport security personnel initially stopped him for questioning related to alleged visa irregularities and held him in a secured area. Ghauri said he was not informed of formal charges at the time of his detention, raising alarm among press freedom organisations and journalist unions who viewed the episode as another instance of undue interference with media professionals. The journalist was reportedly released late the next day after interventions by civil society groups and legal representatives.
A widely shared photograph showing Ghauri in handcuffs while surrounded by security personnel became an online focal point for public attention and rapid solidarity from fellow journalists, human rights defenders, and political commentators. Social media users and press bodies argued that the image highlighted concerns about the treatment of journalists and may have accelerated calls for his release. Supporters circulated the photo with hashtags demanding Ghauri’s immediate freedom and respect for journalistic rights.
Groups such as the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and several press clubs condemned the detention as an unnecessary violation of press freedom and urged authorities to clarify the circumstances that led to Ghauri’s arrest at the airport. PFUJ officials called for stronger protections for media workers and pushed back against what they described as a pattern of intimidation of critical reporters in recent years. Legal representatives for Ghauri said they would seek assurances that no further legal action would be taken against him in connection with his reporting.
Ghauri’s experience has reignited debate over the treatment of journalists in Pakistan, particularly those covering sensitive beats involving security and governance. Press freedom advocates stressed that journalists must be able to travel and carry out professional duties without fear of arbitrary detention, and they called on authorities to engage constructively with media stakeholders to safeguard constitutional protections for a free press.
Reference –
https://www.journalismpakistan.com/journalist-bilal-ghauri-released-after-airport-detention
