QUETTA: Journalist bodies in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Wednesday criticized a decision by authorities to restrict the Quetta Press Club from holding “long-form events and seminars” without the government’s permission, amid a deteriorating law-and-order situation in the restive province.
The decision was announced by the Quetta deputy commissioner days after deadly assaults by an ethnic Baloch separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), killed more than 50 people, including 19 security officials, in several districts across Balochistan.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the site of a low-level insurgency for the last two decades, with separatist militants intensifying attacks on Pakistanis from neighboring provinces working in the region as well as foreigners, including Chinese citizens, in recent years.
Journalist bodies strongly condemned the restriction on the Quetta Press Club, describing the directives as an attempt to “curb free speech and press freedom” in the province and demanding its immediate withdrawal.
“The law-and-order situation has not been created due to speeches and freedom of expression, but rather is a result of denial of rights, injustice in the society and authoritarian behavior of the establishment and crippled state machinery,” Afzal Butt, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), said in a statement.
Similar statements were issued by the Karachi and Lahore press clubs, calling the decision a “blatant attack” on fundamental rights.
The Quetta Press Club and the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) have also summoned a joint meeting today, Thursday, to deliberate over the move. “The QPC and BUJ will sit together to decide a future plan,” Banaras Khan, the QPC secretary-general, told Arab News on Wednesday.
Quetta Deputy Commissioner Saad bin Asad told Arab News the decision does not apply to press conferences, and was only meant for “long-form events and seminars.”
“The decision was not made for press conferences, but we have put new restrictions on long-form events and seminars. This is a similar practice being implemented in other cities of Pakistan,” he said.
“Before holding any event or seminar in Quetta Press Club, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) or political parties have to get government’s permission and we will review the content before allowing them.”
In May, authorities had also locked down the gate of the Quetta Press Club and stopped members of an ethnic Baloch rights organization, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), from entering it after BYC leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch was invited to address a seminar there on human rights abuses in Balochistan.
Balochistan is also currently in the grips of civil rights protests by young ethnic Baloch who are calling for an end to what they describe as a pattern of enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses by security forces, who deny the charge.
Journalist bodies criticize restriction on Quetta Press Club from holding events without government permission
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Journalist bodies criticize restriction on Quetta Press Club from holding events without government permission
- The decision came days after deadly attacks claimed by a Baloch separatist group killed over 50 people in Pakistan’s Balochistan
- Quetta deputy commissioner says decision doesn’t apply to pressers, only ‘long-form events and seminars’ have been restricted
Pakistan army chief says future warfare will rely on technology over battlefield maneuvers
- Asim Munir cites drones, electronic warfare and surveillance as central to future war operations
- Remarks follow Pakistan’s 2025 military conflict with India that highlighted role of technology
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief said on Thursday future conflicts would be shaped more by technology than traditional battlefield maneuvers, as the military accelerates its shift toward drone warfare, electronic systems and networked command structures, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan military.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who also serves as Chief of Defense Forces, made the remarks while visiting the Bahawalpur Garrison in southern Punjab, where he observed a high-intensity field exercise focused on integrating new technologies into conventional military operations, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The exercise, titled Steadfast Resolve, involved unmanned aerial systems, advanced surveillance assets, electronic warfare capabilities and modern command-and-control mechanisms, reflecting what the military described as a move toward “technology-enabled multi-domain operations.”
“Character of war has evolved massively, with technological advancements driving the evolution, dictating huge mental transformation at all tiers,” Munir said while addressing troops, according to the ISPR statement.
“In future, technological maneuvers will replace physical maneuvers and will fundamentally alter the way offensive and defensive operations are undertaken,” he added.
Militaries worldwide are reassessing combat doctrine as drones, electronic warfare and real-time data increasingly shape outcomes on modern battlefields. In South Asia, those shifts gained renewed attention following military exchanges between Pakistan and India in May 2025, when both sides employed surveillance, electronic countermeasures and precision capabilities alongside conventional forces, underscoring the growing role of non-kinetic domains.
Munir said the Pakistan army was “embracing and absorbing technology at a rapid pace,” adding that “innovation, indigenization and adaptation shall remain fundamental” as the military prepares for future battlefield and security challenges.
The army chief also reiterated that Pakistan’s armed forces remained prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasizing the need to maintain readiness as warfare increasingly expands across physical, cyber and electronic domains.
