Lahore Bird Seller Caught in Crackdown on Journalists: Accounts Frozen Without Explanation

LAHORE — What began as a routine parrot sale turned into a financial nightmare for 60-year-old Nadeem Nasir, a bird seller in Lahore, who discovered earlier this year that his bank account had been inexplicably frozen—leaving him without access to his own money.

The freeze, ordered by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing in Islamabad, came without notice. “I was shocked,” Nasir told The News. “What crime had I committed?”

After several failed attempts to reach FIA officials in Islamabad, Nasir was eventually informed by a representative in Lahore that his only known connection to the matter was a journalist in Islamabad—someone to whom he had sold parrots.

That journalist, known for critical reporting on state institutions, has previously faced arrests, intimidation, and physical assaults. Shortly after Nasir’s account was blocked, the journalist also found that his and his mother’s bank accounts had been frozen—again, without warning or explanation.

In May 2025, the Islamabad High Court ordered the journalist’s account to be restored, declaring the action “a blatant violation of fundamental rights.” Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, who presided over the case, criticized the FIA’s lack of due process, noting that the journalist had not been informed or given the chance to respond to the allegations.

The FIA’s justification, presented as a single-page reply, cited an ongoing investigation into “anti-state and anti-government posts” and alleged concerns over money laundering and terror financing via social media.

However, the journalist’s lawyer, Zainab Janjua, called the claims “baseless” and labeled the probe a clear attempt to silence independent reporting. “This is nothing but another tool of the state to punish journalists for doing their job,” she said.

Nasir, however, remains entangled in the situation. Despite no criminal charge or direct involvement in journalism, his account is still frozen months later—causing severe financial strain. With a wife undergoing cancer treatment and his own rising medical expenses, Nasir now relies on others’ bank accounts to cover basic needs.

He is not alone. Atif Sajjad Raza, who runs a media production company, and Rozi Khan, another bird seller, have also reported account freezes after financial dealings with the same journalist. In one case, FIA allegedly demanded an affidavit disavowing the journalist’s political views as a condition for unblocking a frozen account.

Even family members of other independent journalists have been targeted. In April, a journalist in Islamabad said the accounts of his wife and sister were frozen without formal notice. No documentation was shared, and only a lawyer’s intervention led to restoration.

Efforts to obtain a response from the newly formed National Cybercrime Investigation Agency, which took over from the FIA in April, were unsuccessful. Despite promises, neither Additional Director Hasan Mehmood Satti nor spokesperson Najeeb ul Hassan provided comment by the time of publication.

Press freedom groups have condemned the practice. Reporters Without Borders continues to rank Pakistan among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists. Iqbal Khattak, executive director of the Freedom Network, said the use of account freezes marks an escalation in efforts to pressure journalists.

“This is a new tool being used against independent journalists—to mentally exhaust them and isolate them financially,” Khattak said.

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For Nasir, the ordeal remains unresolved. “What is my crime?” he asked. “Why am I being punished for just selling a few parrots?”