With nothing more than a smartphone, a notebook, and an unwavering sense of purpose, a young woman walks the dusty streets of Pasni, a remote coastal town in Pakistan's Balochistan province. She carries no press card, wears no television network's logo, and enjoys none of the institutional protection that accompanies traditional journalism. Yet she continues to report from one of the country's most conservative and underserved regions.

She is Hani Ramzan—a freelance journalist whose story is defined not by the newsroom she represents, but by the communities whose voices she refuses to let go unheard. From the rugged coastline of Pasni to the isolated villages surrounding the Shadi Kaur Dam, Hani has spent years documenting stories that rarely make national headlines: chronic water shortages, human rights concerns, and the everyday struggles of women living on the margins. One assignment required her to travel alone for nearly 30 kilometres to the Shadi Kaur Dam—a journey that symbolises the risks she is willing to take in pursuit of stories others overlook.

Her determination, however, has come at a cost. While reporting in the field, Hani has repeatedly faced intimidation from influential local figures, who warned her against covering what they described as "sensitive issues." The threats were meant to silence her, but they only reinforced her resolve.

"When I started working as a citizen journalist from the Pak Vandar coastline," Hani recalls, "I was terrified of how people would react. But my work gradually earned recognition and the support of my community. I chose freelance journalism because it gave me the freedom to highlight local issues without editorial pressure or institutional constraints."

That freedom, however, comes without protection. One question follows her almost everywhere she reports: "Which media organisation do you work for?" Without an official press card or the backing of a recognised news outlet, her identity as a journalist is often questioned. The absence of institutional affiliation leaves her doubly exposed—without legal assistance, security support, or the protection normally available to staff reporters.

Her mother remembers the family's early fears. "In the beginning, we worried constantly—not only about what society would say but also about the dangers she faced in the field. But when we saw her videos helping solve problems faced by poor families in our community, our fear turned into pride. Today, we are her greatest source of strength."

Hani credits mobile journalism (MoJo) with transforming the way she reports. Training provided by Beaches for All, a digital media initiative that equips young people and women in Balochistan's coastal communities with digital storytelling, environmental reporting, and social journalism skills, gave her the confidence to work independently in the field. Many of her reports and video stories were later picked up by Pakistan's mainstream digital media, including Independent Urdu and several regional news platforms, bringing the overlooked realities of Pasni and Gwadar to audiences across the country.

The absence of institutional affiliation leaves her doubly exposed—without legal assistance, security support, or the protection normally available to staff reporters.

The absence of institutional affiliation leaves her doubly exposed—without legal assistance, security support, or the protection normally available to staff reporters.

A Growing Presence, But Little Protection

Hani's journey reflects a quiet yet significant shift taking place across Balochistan. A new generation of freelance women journalists is gradually emerging, driven by expanding access to smartphones, digital media platforms, and training opportunities offered by organisations such as Beaches for All. Young women from towns like Pasni, Gwadar, and Turbat are increasingly reporting for social media platforms and independent news websites, telling stories that have long remained absent from Pakistan's mainstream media landscape. Yet their numbers remain strikingly small. According to senior Balochistan journalist Abrar Ahmed, progress has been........

© The Friday Times