Wajahat Saeed Khan's Quest for Accountability Traverses Journalism and the Judiciary

Wajahat Saeed Khan, a prominent Pakistani journalist, finds himself entangled in a legal battle in his home country. Recently, several charges, including terrorism, treason, and mutiny, have been filed against him by an individual unknown to him personally “who doesn’t have an address or confirmed identity and has probably done this at the behest of the military-intelligence apparatus.” These grave accusations stem from the claims that a mob allegedly used replicas of his social media content to incite violence, terrorism, and mutiny against the government and armed forces of Pakistan during the aftermath of the arrest of Imran Khan and the events that unfolded on May 9, 2023.

Wajahat Saeed Khan

Khan vehemently denies these charges, deeming them shocking, baseless, and absurd. He views them as part of a larger pattern aimed at stifling the freedom of expression, press freedom, and the democratic process in Pakistan. According to Khan, these charges are the latest step in a series of maneuvers to curb the progress of democracy in the country. He remains steadfast in his commitment to fighting these charges through due process, placing his trust in Pakistan's courageous judiciary.

In our conversation with Khan, he sheds light on the specifics of the charges filed against him and how they relate to the broader context of freedom of expression and press freedom in Pakistan. Khan expresses concerns about the potential consequences he may face, given that some of the charges carry the punishment of death. Despite the challenges he faces, Khan is determined to defend himself and ensure that due process is followed.

The situation has undoubtedly affected Khan's work as a journalist. He has encountered messages urging him to cease his reporting, and he has experienced coercion and intimidation in the past. Nevertheless, he remains resolute in his commitment to inform and empower his audience, particularly in highlighting the plight of millions of Pakistanis. Khan recognizes the need for support, not just from his fellow journalists and the judiciary but also from millions of Pakistanis who stand for justice, fair play, and transparent governance.

The journey ahead for Khan is riddled with challenges, yet he remains hopeful that the truth will prevail. He sees it as a critical step toward upholding the principles of freedom of expression, press freedom, and the democratic process in Pakistan. With the support of millions of Pakistanis and like-minded individuals, Khan aims to continue his fight for a society where justice, fairness, and transparency thrive.

Can you provide more details about the specific charges that have been filed against you in Pakistan?

Khan with former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan

Terrorism, treason and mutiny—charges that are punishable by death. The charges have been filed by an individual (unknown to me, personally). Also, the address he has given for himself doesn’t check out. This points towards him not being a regular citizen but possibly a security operative. Critically, his allegations are about as dangerous as they are fictitious: that he saw people rioting during last May’s upheaval after Imran Khan’s arrest; that he then went through the rioters’ phones; that he then saw instructions in those phones from some foreign-based journalists as well as me inciting violence; that he then spent a month researching our connection to “international hostile intelligence agencies”; and that he has now connected the dots to a great international conspiracy that involves Pakistani journalists trying to break up the nuclear-armed Islamic Republic, and that we should be punished accordingly. 

How do you perceive these charges in the broader context of the freedom of expression, press freedom, and the democratic process in Pakistan? 

Clearly, the charges have been framed with prejudice and intent to stop us from continuing our reporting. The Pakistani military-intelligence apparatus has done a remarkable job in suppressing local and mainstream media for journalists as well as social media use for ordinary citizens inside the country through coercion, lawfare, arrests, abductions and assassinations. But digital media’s disruptive tendencies cannot be regulated. A few of us not based in the country continue to report on it through our digital platforms. Moreover, millions of people tune in every day to listen to us. Our viewership dwarfs that of conventional national media. That’s because we’re not compromised. In fact, we’ve been called the ‘last men standing’ who continue to report freely on the country. Thus, we’ve been targeted through these bogus charges. 

Can you discuss the potential consequences you might face if found guilty, considering that some of the charges carry the punishment of death?

The death penalty is the highest possible punishment, which could diverge into extradition, confiscation of our properties, and even the arrests of our families, who are still based there. But our legal analysis indicates that the military-intelligence apparatus wants to simply deplatform us. A summary judgment from a kangaroo court run by the Pakistani army slamming my colleagues and me with these bogus charges could carry weight if dispatched to YouTube, Twitter, Meta etc. saying “Shut these people down—they are not journalists rather they are mutineers and terrorists.” That’s the play the Pakistani military is expected to make. When they do, we hope Big Tech has the wherewithal, insight and common sense to approach this judiciously, especially considering that we have not breached their community standards for our reporting, rather are being targeted and intimidated into submission.

What steps are you taking to defend yourself against these charges and ensure due process is followed?

Khan with former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who died in February 2023

A conventional defense team of lawyers and attorneys isn’t quite going to cut it—local lawyers are either expensive, scared or both—as this is a military-intelligence operation and not a regular criminal proceeding. But organizing and funding legal defense is a priority for me. However, what precautions can I take here in New York if they decide to raid my mother’s residence in Karachi, or arrest my sister? To deter that, diplomatic pressure is key.

How has this situation affected your work as a journalist, and do you feel that your reporting on the plight of millions of Pakistanis is being targeted? 

I’ve been sent enough messages, direct and indirect, to stop reporting. When I was in Pakistan, I was “picked up” and “straightened out” by the powers that be. That didn’t work then, and I don’t see myself stopping now. Reporting is all I’ve done since high school, and reporting is all I plan on doing. However, I worry for my audiences, as well as the safety of my sources. While hundreds of thousands of people log on every night to watch me, falsely branding my work as treason, terrorism or mutiny is going to affect their choices at some level. Also, universities teach their students case-studies of my reports. That might change. I’ve already started feeling a personal change: friends and colleagues back home have dropped out of contact, fearing retribution from a coercive police state which is watching them. None of this is easy.

In your opinion, what does it mean for the truth to prevail in this case, and what outcome are you hoping for? 

This latest wave of media suppression by the military-dominated establishment is the latest in a 15-year-old maneuver to take back democratic space ceded to the people of Pakistan since the last dictatorship. There are also geopolitical factors at play which are pushing Pakistan towards greater authoritarianism. As a journalist, my only job is to inform my audiences to make better choices: to vote or protest, to stay or migrate, to evaluate or calculate. I don’t see Pakistan’s citizens being allowed to make such rational choices in the near future if free media is denied to them through the targeting, harassment and killing of journalists. 

How do you plan to engage with the support of millions of Pakistanis, fellow journalists, and the judiciary to fight these charges?

Nobody’s special, but there is strength in numbers. Better, braver journalists have laid down their lives reporting out of Pakistan. Yet, the country and the region—Afghanistan, Iran, even India and Bangladesh—continue to become more dangerous for journalists and journalism. I hope that my engagement for press freedom goes beyond Pakistan, and across these borders. 

Wajahat S. Khan is an Emmy-nominated journalist and author reporting on Indo-Pacific security and focusing on the Af-Pak conflict. An Adjunct Professor at New York University’s Center of Global Affairs and non-resident Senior Fellow at Washington’s Atlantic Council, Khan is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism and the University of Michigan, as well as Pakistan’s only Shorenstein Fellow for Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has reported from 16 countries covering conflict, diplomacy, and media for digital, cable and network news. During the final years of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, Khan was bureau chief in Kabul and Islamabad for NBC News, and embedded with over a hundred NATO, Afghan, Indian and Pakistani military and paramilitary units as he covered South Asia for leading US, British, Indian, Japanese and Pakistani networks and publications since the beginning of the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Recently, he served as the Digital Editor at Nikkei Asia, where he launched Nikkei’s first podcast series, and edited a popular weekend newsletter at the Eurasia Group. He frequently dabbles in cricket, and is the author of the 2019 Amazon / Harper Collins non-fiction bestseller, “Game Changer: Being Shahid Afridi.” He lives between New York City, London and Karachi.