Aleema Khan, Naeem Panjutha among others booked for assaulting journalist

By Muhammad MubashirPublished On 09 Sep 2025

Complainant Tayyab Baloch said in a First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Rawalpindi Saddar Bairooni Police Station that he was present outside Adiala Jail at around 3:55pm on Monday for reporting with other journalists when Aleema Khan and other people began a media talk after a hearing for the Toshakhana case.

“During this time, a person named Naeem Panjutha called out: ‘Teach him a lesson for questioning Aleema about properties,’” Baloch said, adding that 35-40 people then grabbed him, laid him down and beat him.

“During this time, some unknown person snatched my mobile phone from me and also broke my microphone,” he said, adding that other reporters there who tried to rescue him were also beaten up.

“We barely escaped them after much pleading. The reason is that I had previously asked Aleema Khan about purchasing properties in America as a journalist, which made her uncomfortable,” the FIR read.

The complainant further stated that, driven by his question, Aleema Khan, “through her workers, first posted pictures of me … [and others] on social media and did propaganda against us. Today, as per the pre-arranged plan, they attacked me, beat me up, forcibly snatched my mobile and threatened to kill me, along with breaking my microphone”.

 The case was registered under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 382 (theft after preparation made causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing of the theft), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

He requested legal proceedings against Aleema, Panjutha and the other suspects.

Meanwhile, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) posted on Monday, Panjutha dubbed the FIR a “fake case” against him and Aleema Khan.

Decrying the incident, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took to X on the same day, writing that Baloch was targeted with violence “solely and only because of a difference of opinion, which is unacceptable”.

“Strict action will be taken. When there is no argument, the path of violence is resorted to...I have always stood with journalists, and in this case too, I will give full support,” he vowed.