{"id":1411,"date":"2013-05-25T09:43:31","date_gmt":"2013-05-25T04:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pakistanfoemonitor.org\/?p=1411"},"modified":"2013-05-27T09:43:51","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T04:43:51","slug":"job-hazard-journalist-shot-dead-for-helping-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pakistanfoemonitor.org\/job-hazard-journalist-shot-dead-for-helping-police\/","title":{"rendered":"Job hazard: Journalist shot dead \u2018for helping police\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
MULTAN: A newspaper reporter was shot dead on Friday in Bahawalnagar apparently for helping police in an investigation. Two roadside vendors were also injured. <\/p>\n
One of them later succumbed to his injuries. The other being treated at the district headquarters hospital, was said to be in critical condition.
\nNo one has been arrested.<\/p>\n
Police said Ahmed Ali Joiya, 25, had been working as a reporter for several local newspapers and magazines.<\/p>\n
They said he had been working on a crime story and had been coordinating with the police in this regard.<\/p>\n
They said his investigation had helped the police. Police said Joiya had reported receiving death threats from Maqbool alias Kooli Sassi, a wanted criminal, for reporting on the latter\u2019s gang. Police said they had asked Joiya to be careful and inform them of any meetings with strangers.<\/p>\n
They said on Friday, when Joiya went to a market in Bhangrana village, some unidentified men shot him, killing him on the spot.<\/p>\n
Two street vendors- later identified as Muhammad Munir and Muhammad Hanif- were also hit. Hanif succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital, while Munir was reported to be in critical condition.<\/p>\n
A complaint was registered with the Takht Mehal police.<\/p>\n
Police said they suspected Maqbool to have killed Joiya. They said Maqbool was wanted in more than 150 murder, robbery and kidnappings across Punjab.<\/p>\n
Punjab Police has set a Rs1 million head money on Maqbool.<\/p>\n
Bahawalnagar District Police Officer Muntazir Mehdi said that initial investigation revealed that Maqbool was believed to be hiding in Sindh. He said a police team had been formed to arrest him and his accomplices.<\/p>\n
Sajjad Wattoo, a colleague of the deceased Ahmed Ali JJoiya, told The Express Tribune that Joiya had mentioned the death threats to his colleagues.<\/p>\n
Colleagues and some relatives of the slain journalist protested the murder. They demand that the criminals be arrested at the earliest.<\/p>\n
They said the district police had provided him guards last year, but were taken away when the caretaker government took charge.<\/p>\n
Joiya had been writing about crime and narcotics control, particularly smuggling from India. His stories had helped the police in several cases and had been awarded a prize by the regional police in 2012. He is survived by a wife and two children.<\/p>\n