NCCIA inquiry against ABN reporter sparks press freedom concerns

ISLAMABAD: The initiation of an inquiry by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against senior ABN News reporter Bakht Muhammad Yousafzai has sparked concern in journalism circles.

Media and human rights activists are calling the development a crackdown on press freedom and a vindictive move, allegedly aimed at stopping investigative reporting on powerful political and business figures.

According to sources, the inquiry was initiated following a complaint by PTI Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman. The journalist community maintains that such actions are used to prevent people from speaking the truth, exposing facts, and criticizing influential people. The threats of arrests and legal action pose a serious threat to independent, impartial, and fact-based journalism.

The matter came to light when Bakht Muhammad Yousafzai aired a news story on alleged tax evasion related to a cigarette factory owned by Faisal Saleem Rehman’s family. Following this report, an inquiry was launched against him, which journalists are calling an attempt to pressure him for reporting.

In this context, the Federal Board of Revenue raided the Universal Tobacco Company in Mardan this month. According to FBR officials, this was the largest undeclared cigarette manufacturing machinery in Mardan so far, where undeclared plants and machinery were being operated secretly.

Officials say that the daily production capacity was about 6,000 to 7,000 kilograms of tobacco, while the daily income was estimated at Rs 45 million.

According to the FBR, the Universal Tobacco Company is owned by a well-known political and business family of Mardan. Former member of the National Assembly Haji Naseem-ur-Rehman is the company’s chief executive, while PTI Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman is his nephew and son-in-law, which has made the matter even more sensitive.

Similar operations have been carried out on this family in the past as well. In April 2019, the FBR raided a factory in Buner that was manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes, which officials said was owned by the Faisal Saleem family. At the time, Faisal Saleem Rehman was the vice chairman of the Board of Investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Journalist organizations and civil society have demanded that, instead of harassing journalists, inquiries be made transparent and impartial, and that full protection of press freedom be ensured.

Observers say that this case is not just about one journalist but has become a major issue in Pakistan related to investigative journalism, revelations of tax evasion, and accountability of powerful classes.