In an unprecedented assault on press freedom that media leaders are calling one of the ‘worst incidents in history,’ Islamabad police stormed the National Press Club (NPC) on Thursday, violently attacking journalists, destroying media equipment, and detaining staff members.

The confrontation ignited during a demonstration organized by the Awami Action Committee outside the NPC around 3 pm. As law enforcement moved to arrest protesters, reporters documenting the events became targets, with officers attempting to snatch their cameras and mobile phones.

Despite urgent appeals from senior media personnel to avoid harassing the press, police personnel forced open the club’s gates. Some officers were even seen scaling the walls to breach the premises, which witnesses described as an invasion “as if terrorists were inside.”

Eyewitness accounts confirmed that reporters were dragged out, struck with batons, and their professional equipment was deliberately shattered. The violent incursion extended to the club’s cafeteria, where press members were beaten and property was damaged. Several NPC staff were also reportedly taken into custody.

Afzal Butt, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), issued a strong condemnation, accusing the police of vandalizing club furniture and assaulting employees. ‘Even during dictatorships, such behavior was not seen. Police used to wait outside for wanted persons rather than raiding the Press Club,’ he stated, warning of significant protests if accountability is not ensured.

Journalist Matiullah Jan labeled the incident ‘shameful and condemnable,’ calling it proof of the NPC administration’s ‘failure and cowardice.’ Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, head of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, denounced the incursion as a ‘barbaric attack’ on press freedom and a violation of democratic values.

The raid has sparked widespread outrage across the media community, with emergency discussions now underway at the NPC to decide on a future course of action.