HRCP denounces raid on Karachi Press Club.

KARACHI -- The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has taken grave notice of the escalation in curbs on press freedom - most recently, the intrusion of reportedly armed plainclothes men into the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and the allegedly illegal detention of senior journalist Nasrullah Khan.

In a statement issued today, HRCP said: 'Regrettably, HRCP has seen little - if any - improvement in the state of press freedom since the new government took office. The raid on the KPC was an attack on the sanctity of the institution of the press club.'

This sets a dangerous precedent and compounds the hostile environment in which more and more journalists are compelled to operate. Moreover, the reportedly illegal detention of Nasrullah Khan is cause for serious concern. There appears to be insufficient evidence for having detained him, allegedly on charges of 'possession' of proscribed material - which often enough is part of any journalist's research. The right to...