Tag: Impunity

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Journalists make human-chain to mourn killings of colleagues

QUETTA: Journalists made a human-chain outside Balochistan High Court and Balochistan Assembly to mourn the killing of their colleagues on Monday evening.

The media representatives were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans demanding the arrest of perpetrators of journalists’ killings in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province.

Last month, armed men had barged into the Online news agency’s office and killed all three newsmen in Kabir Building area of Jinnah road Quetta. The incident sparked severe criticism of law enforcement agencies in the provincial capital.

Balochistan is considered to be one of the most sensitive areas for journalists. According to BUJ, during the last seven years, nearly 40 journalists have been killed in different incidents with the killers still at large.

The provincial government had announced the formation of a judicial commission six months back, but the judge probing the murder of journalists is yet to be nominated.

In today’s rally, the journalists chanted full-throated slogans “stop killing journalists they are your voice”, “long live freedom of expression” and “we want justice” among others.

“We will intensify our protest for the protection of journalists in Balochistan,” President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Afzal Butt said while taking part in the demonstration.

Members of Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ), Hawkers community and the Quetta Press Club participated in the protest rally that turned into a human-chain in the high security zone of the city.

The journalist community has been protesting against the cold blooded murder of three colleagues in Quetta for the last fifteen days. “Journalists are in the line of fire in this part of the country,” Afzal Butt said.

The journalists demanded of the Balochistan government to step up efforts for the formation of a judicial commission to probe into the killings.

“We have lost around 40 colleagues during last seven years,” Irfan Saeed, the President BUJ lamented during the protest demonstration.

The journalists urged upon provincial and federal governments to ensure protection of the media men working in Balochistan and arrest those involved in the killings.

Pakistan is ranked as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists and reporters by rights groups and watchdogs.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), seven reporters lost their lives in the line of duty in 2013 in the country.

Placing Pakistan as the 158th country out of 180 on its Press Freedom Index, a report by the RSF had noted earlier this year: “The government appears powerless in the Taliban… and the military establishment, which is known as a ‘state within a state’ among many international observers.”

DAWN

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Balochistan march threatened if killers of journalists not held

QUETTA: Journalists will march towards Balochistan if the killers of martyred journalists of Quetta were not traced, threatened President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt while lighting candles in the memory of martyred journalists Irshad mastoid, Abdur Rasool and Muhammad Yunus in front of the Press Club Sunday evening.

President Balochistan Union of Journalists Irfan Saeed, President Quetta Press Club Razaur Rehman, Vice President PFUJ Saleem and others were also present.Afzal But said for the first time in the history of Pakistan press clubs in all the four provinces were locked on the appeal of BUJ and journalists protested but the rulers took no notice.

“There are delaying tactics in the arrest of killers of these journalists. The PFUJ is planning protest in Quetta. If their killers are not arrested within one week ‘chalo chalo Balochistan ki taraf chalo” movement would be launched in which journalists from all over the country would participate and stage sit-ins till the arrest of killers.”

He said the PFUJ had staged dharnas in front of four provincial assemblies and the National Assembly a few months ago. “Our biggest demand is security for all media group offices and journalists should be given security forces protocol on their martyrdom.”

He said the speaker National Assembly and the chief ministers of four provinces had promised the protesting journalists to security and payment of compensation to their relatives on the pattern of the security forces relatives.

“We are tired of lifting the bodies of our colleagues; target killing of Irshad Mastoi and his colleagues is a big tragedy. The federal and provincial governments are responsible for it,” Afzal Butt said.

President PFUJ would lead a protest rally here on Monday (today). The rally would originate from press club and reach in front of Balochistan Assembly Secretariat where a human chain would be formed. Political parties, civil society representatives and journalists have been requested to participate.

The News

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Continued attacks on Geo exposing incapability of govt

HYDERABAD: President Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Noorani) (JUP-N) and Chief of Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC) Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair in a joint statement on Sunday vehemently condemned the attacks on Geo News.

They said attacks on TV channels are actually attacks on freedom of the press. They said the incidents on the one hand were defaming the country in the world while on the other hand were exposing the inability of the government over controlling the sabotage activity. They demanded of the government to stop the attacks on television channels and get orders of the court implemented by Pemra.

They also urged the Pemra to respect the orders of the court and not to adopt any discriminatory attitude towards Geo TV and end the intra channel rivalries. Certain elements wanted to achieve their nefarious designs and were bent on damaging the press freedom, they pointed out and added that silence of the government over such disgusting acts was raising many questions.

Meanwhile, Central Secretary Information, JUP-N, Dr Muhammad Yunus Danish, termed the attacks on Geo News as terrorism against the media. He demanded the government to take immediate action. He said there have been continued attempts to curb the freedom of the Press, while the government was posing as a silent observer instead of getting the verdicts of courts imposed.

DAWN

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4 journalists and 5 support staff shot dead, 38 injured and 06 others received death

Journalists under siege

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received shocking reports of journalists having to face the worst ordeals possible, during the course of the year 2014. Four journalists and five of their supporting staff have been killed by “un-known” persons and more than 38 journalists were attacked and injured by the police and mostly by those representing political parties who are conducting political agitation in the country’s capital Islamabad calling for the government to step down on charges of mass corruption.

Pakistan is ranked 158 out of 180 countries in this year’s World Press Freedom Index and has one of the highest murder rates for journalists. As is evident from this statement there is almost no space for freedom of expression in the country which provides a free playing field for law enforcement authorities and extremist religious forces particularly the militant groups – to act as they please. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced the appointment of a Commission for the protection of journalists but it has remained as only an announcement and no further action has been taken in that regard. Still no mechanisms have been developed to stop the attacks on the media houses. The political parties, the pressure groups and religious militant groups in an effort to dictate their policies continuously attack media houses and journalists.

Several media houses including the Pakistan Television (PTV), the official government channel, was attacked by hundreds of political activists, supporters of Imran Khan, a cricketer turned politician and Dr. Tahirul Qadri, a Pakistani born Canadian national. Broadcasts were stopped for 40 minutes following the capture of the station and after hundreds of people, many armed with sticks, ransacked the Pakistan Television building in central Islamabad, smashing vehicles in the parking lots and cutting transmission cables in the newsrooms. The network said that at least 14 cameras had been stolen.

Reports revealed that on the instructions from the Pakistan Army – by a mere gesture of raising a finger – the army abandoned the occupation of PTV building. However, during this period protesters have attacked and injured more than 100 policemen – as police have been given instructions not to use fire arms against the agitators. A senior police officer, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) was beaten in front of PTV building and has been seriously injured. More than 100 persons inside the PTV building were also harassed and beaten and one lady anchor person has been abused by the protesters.

About half a dozen senior journalists have received death threats from “unknown persons”. However, it is generally a known fact that these ‘un-known persons’ are those representing the various state intelligence agencies.

Following is a list of names of injured persons from the different media houses;
Khuram Shazad, Cameraman, Sama TV,
Awais Qazi, Cameraman, Sama TV,
Amir Syed Ababs, Reporter, Sama TV,
Atif Yousef, Cameraman, Waqt TV,
Imran Iqbal, Cameraman waqt TV,
Muhammad Zahid DSNG Engineer, Waqt TV,
Jameel Kayani, Driver, Waqt TV,
Essa Naqvi, Reporter, Duniya TV,
Hassan Ayub, Reporter, Dunya TV,
Dan, Engineer, Dunya TV,
Anjum Fatimi, Cameraman, Dunya TV,
Asif Abduulah, Cameraman, Ary News,
Iqbal zeb,cameraman, Ary News,
Kashif Abbasi, Cameraman, Dawn News,
Noshad Abbasi, Cameraman, Dawn News,
Kashif Malik, Reporter, Dawn News,
Samar Ababs, Reporter, Dawn News,
Ishfaq Hussan, Cameraman, Dawn News,
Imran Chudry, Cameraman, Dawn News,
Mansoor Ahmed, Cameramen, Dawn News,
Amir Alam, Cameraman, Eexpress News,
Majid Shah, Cameraman, Express News,
Usman Afzal, Cameraman, Express News,
Bakhat Zameen, Driver, Express News,
Rana Tariq, Reporter, Aaj Tv,
Haroon Khurshid, Cameraman, Aaj Tv,
Ghulam Ali, Cameraman, Aaj Tv,
Azad Syed, Star Reporter, Geo Tv,
Arshad Syed, Senior Reporter,
Farhat Jabeen, Senior Reporter,
Saif-ur-Rehman, Journalist, Geo Tv,
Shabir Ahmed, Cameraman, Geo Tv,
Khuram Shahzad, Cameraman, Geo Tv,
Ihsan Ali, Bureau Chief, Mashiq,
Arshad Waheed, Senior Reporter
Ajab Khan, Cameraman Sama Tv,
Ghulam Shahzad, Cameraman Geo Tv,
Essa Ali, Bureau Chief Mashriq

Received threats from ‘unknown persons’

Kamran Shafi, Senior journalists
Ahmed Noorani, The News Reporter,
Ajab Khan, Cameraman Sama Tv.
Omar Quereshi, editor Express tribune and contributor to DW

Four Journalists and five supportive staff killed

In another recent event, on 28th August 2014, the office of the Online International News Network in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan Province, was attacked by “unknown persons” who had shot dead three persons including a prominent journalist, Irshad Mastoi, a trainee journalist, Ghulam Rasool and an accountant. No one has been arrested for the shooting. Since the year 2001, when military operations started in the different parts of Balochistan, to-date 40 journalists have been killed by “un-known persons” and not a single attacker has ever been tried before a court of law.

The phenomena of “unknown persons” has been introduced by the successive military governments which gives impunity to these ‘killers’ and it has been a common occurence, following the incident of 9/11 when the military government of General Pervez Musharraf received support from the international community on the “war against terrorism”. Since then, journalists have always been at the receiving end of attacks from these “un-known persons”. Moreover, journalists have increasingly been involved in several incidents of forced disappearances and extra judicial killings including target killings and “un-known persons” have been attributed in all such acts.

On 14th February2014, a correspondent for the ‘Daily Intekhab’ was attacked and killed in Khuzdar, in Balochistan by “un-known persons”. Prior to his killing, he has been receiving death threats from such persons for reporting on disappearances and extra judicial killings.

On 1st January 2014, a reporter for “Abb Tak Television” was shot dead; shot in the back, while filming outside a pharmacy near the Badah Press Club in Larkana, in the Sindh Province. The army claimed that the video which he was recording at the time showed medication Dahar bought at a pharmacy which had a “not for resale” stamp on it – and the journalist was killed a few minutes after.

On 17th January 2014, in the North Nazimabad area in Karachi, the capital of Sindh Province, the vehicle – a van belonging to Express TV was attacked in the early hours by “un-known persons” killing three supporting staff working for the TV channel. They were Waqas Aziz Khan, Mohammad Khalid, and Ashraf Arain. The cameraman was sleeping at the rear seat of the van and thus escaped unhurt. The Express TV was also targeted by Taliban and other militant groups for criticizing the resurgence of Islamic militancy.

In yet another incident, Geo TV, one of the biggest channels in Pakistan, is continuously under pressure from the ISI – the infamous army intelligence agency for the past four months for naming the involvement of the ISI in the attempted murder of a prominent anchorperson, Mr. Hamid Mir, who received six bullet shots by “un-known” persons while he was travelling in his car.

Since January 2013 to date 19 journalists and 10 supporting staff have been killed and no person has been arrested for these killings. The tribal area of Khyber Pakhtunkha (KP) Province and Balochistan remained the ‘killing fields’ where most journalists have been attacked and killed.

Attacks and death threats to journalists

Raza Rumi, the anchorperson of Express TV was attacked by “un-known persons” on March 28th 2014, in the city of Lahore, the capital of Punjab Province. He received minor injury but his driver was killed. Rumi was receiving life threats through unidentified telephone calls. After the attack he has fled the country.

On 19th April 2014, a prominent journalist and an anchorperson for GEO TV was critically wounded by six bullets as explained above. The assailants yet remain unknown. He and his family members accuse the ISI and its chief general Zaheerul Islam of organizing the attempted murder.

TV host Imtiaz Alam has also been receiving death threats. A few months ago TV anchor Jasmin Manzoor reportedly cried in front of the Prime Minister and begged for her life. She was threatened to be killed allegedly by a political party, the MQM and then she had to flee the country.

On 22nd August 2014, a prominent columnist for various local and international newspapers and a retired army officer, Kamran Shafi received death threats by mail, from a group claiming themselves to be the ‘Khaki power’ (a term is used for army persons) and these threats have continued for several days. In the threatening mails his nick name which was used during his service in the army has been referred to – a nickname, he claims was only privy to him and his army colleagues.

In the first week of September, Omar Quereshi, the editor of editorial page of Express Tribune and contributor to the German broadcasting house, the DW, has received death threat messages in his private email account.

On 2nd May 2014, GEO TV’s news cameraman Asif Kabir was travelling to the channel’s office in Model Town A, Bahawalpur, Punjab, when three motorcyclists wearing helmets had stopped him. The three men had called him a traitor and an Indian agent and then had assaulted him in broad daylight. The assault left him badly injured and reports stated that the persons had also attempted to steal his camera. As of this date neither case nor investigation has commenced by the police into this incident.

These reports were extracted from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters without Borders and various other media houses in Pakistan;

Jamshed Baghwan, Express News TV’s Bureau Chief in Peshawar experienced a gruesome third attempt on his life by unknown persons. Unknown persons have set up an explosive device outside his house in Peshawar, capital of KP Province. The devise was left in a milk pack in front of the house by men on a motorcycle. The bomb damaged the outside of the building but caused no injuries. This followed an 11-month long string of attacks on the Express Media group personnel and their installations. Some of these attacks have been claimed by the Taliban.

In another incident, unidentified gunmen torched cable TV operator WorldCall’s premises in the southern city of Karachi on 19th July 2014 in order to silence the embattled TV news station Geo News. WorldCall had only recently resumed transmission of Geo News, which the government suspended for 15 days last month. Police and witnesses said between four – six gunmen stormed into WorldCall’s offices, disarmed security guards, ordered employees to leave and then set fire to the place. The blaze gutted the premises but caused no injuries. It also interrupted transmission of Geo News in several parts of the city.

From 14th August 2014 to date dozens of journalists including females journalist have been attacked and injured by the political workers or activists of Imran Khan and Dr. Tahirul Qadri, who have been agitating against the government outside the Parliament house, the Prime Minister’s house and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

On 15th August 2014 at least four crew members from Aaj News, including digital satellite news gathering engineer Iqbal, cameramen Usmaan, Iqbal, and Samaarat, were beaten up by workers from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party while covering a speech by the PTI leader Imran Khan during a sit-in in Islamabad. The four have been treated in hospital for minor injuries.

On 17th August 2014, as many as eight reporters, cameramen and drivers have been assaulted by the workers in two days alone. Azaz Syed, a star reporter of Geo TV, was abused; his mike was snatched and when he was about to go on air from the rally venue in order to report on the situation on ground. Meanwhile, a mob had encircled him and forced him out of the venue. All this for working for GeoTV. Arshad Waheed, a senior reporter of the network, also came under attack the same day.

On the same day, another Geo TV journalist, Saif-ur-Rehman, came under attack by Imran Khan’s party (PTI) activists who identified him by the mike carrying the logo of the network. He had to flee the scene to save his life. Shabbir Ahmed, a cameraman of Geo TV, had his camera broken by the PTI’s miscreants. Another cameraman, Khurram Shehzad, was beaten.

On 30th August 2014, when protesters were marching towards the Parliament house to attack there had been a clash between marchers and the police and during this clash, police have deliberately attacked and severely beaten several journalists.

Asian Human Rights Commission

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PTI rioters pelt Geo offices with stones

ISLAMABAD: Gangs of violent stone-throwing activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) once again attacked Geo’s eight-storey building in the federal capital on Saturday around midnight. This is the fourth such attack by PTI workers on the Geo offices.

About 150 rioters came in separate groups, gathered around the Geo offices, and pelted the building with stones, breaking the expensive glass panes of the building. Journalists and other staff present in the building were terrorised as the vandalism continued for hours.

The police were not present when the attack occurred, as the cops deployed to protect the property frequently remain absent. This is insulting for the government. The police come and then leave despite the fact that the Jang/Geo Group management had informed the authorities that their office building is on the route to the sit-in venues and participants frequently resort to stone-throwing on the Geo building because of the provocative speeches by the PTI chief Imran Khan.

Prior to his Azadi March and during the sit-in Imran Khan has said several times that their protest was peaceful and not even a plant pot would be broken. Although no plant pot has been broken but the expensive glass panes of the eight-storey building of Geo have been broken with impunity.

The News

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Journalists stage hunger strike camp outside Balochistan PA

QUETTA: Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ) on Thursday held a hunger strike camp outside the Balochistan Assembly to protest against the killing of journalists, attack on media houses and other issues.

President BUJ Irfan Saeed, President Quetta Press Club Raza-ur-Rehman, Central leaders of Federal Union of Journalists including Saleem Shahid and Shehzada Zulfiqar remained in the hunger strike camp. Besides, a large number of journalists from all electronic and print media organizations participated in the camp.

Chief Minister Balochistan, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, MPAs, representatives of lawyers’ fraternity, leaders of various political parties and the members of civil society visited the camp to express solidarity with the media fraternity.

Balochistan Union of Journalists had announced ten days’ mourning following the killing of its General Secretary Irshad Mastoi, trainee reporter Rasool and media worker Mohammad Younus.

Hunger strike camp is part of activities decided in the executive body of the BUJ to lodge protest and press the government for the arrest of the perpetrators and provision of security to the media fraternity.—APP

Business Recorder

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Two Journalists, a media worker shot dead in Quetta

Two journalists and an accountant were shot dead, when unidentified assailants attacked the offices of “Online” news agency on August 28, 2014 in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Those killed included Irshad Mustoi, Bureau Chief, Abdul Rasool Khajjak, reporter and Muhammad Younas, accountant. They were working in their office when armed men barged in at about 7:45 and opened fire and left the crime scene. No one has so far clamed responsibility for the attack.

Khajjak and Younas died instantly while Irshad was critically injured and died on way to hospital. The bodies were shifted to the hospital and initial examination showed that they suffered fatal bullet wounds in chest and head.

Mustoi, 35-year-old was also working as Assignment Editor of ARY News television channel. He was also General Secretary of Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ). The deceased left behind a widow, two daughters and a one year-old son.

Abdul Rasool Khajjak was a final year student of Mass Communication at Balochistan University. He had completed a three-month internship in the news agency and now working as a reporter.

Mohammad Younas was serving as an accountant in the news agency for a number of years.

President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other journalist unions across the country have condemned the murders and called for immediate arrest of the killers. PFUJ has announced to observe a ‘black day’ on August 29, 2014. Quetta Press Club (QPC) has also announced a three-day mourning.

Pakistan Press Foundation

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Bureau chief and two media staff shot dead in Balochistan

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the killing of journalist Irshad Mustoi and his two colleges in his office at MA Jinnah Road, Quetta, Balochistan on Thursday, August 28.

Mustoi, 35-year-old Assignment Editor of ARY News in Quetta, Bureau Chief of Online News Agency and General Secretary Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ), was shot dead in his office along with trainee reporter Muhammad Abdul Rasool and media staff Muhammad Younas by indiscriminate firing of unknown assailants. The assailants fled the crime scene.

The bodies were taken to the hospital and initial examinations stated that all three died due to bullet injuries to their chest and heads.

The PFUJ, while expressing solidarity with the families of slain journalists, has announced protests across Pakistan to condemn the killings. The protests will take place today (Friday, August 29).

The PFUJ has termed the deaths as the targeted killing of media workers and asked the authorities to take notice to trace the culprits. The PFUJ said: “The killing of BUJ office bearer is strong and hidden message to intimidate the media across Pakistan.”

The PFUJ added: “The journalists’ community in Pakistan has always been sacrificing their lives while discharging their duty of unearthing truth and many have received threats for doing their duty. We have asked the government time and again to take measures for the safety of the working journalists but all in vain.”

The IFJ said: “The murder of journalists and media worker in their office is a brutal and outright attack on media that is aimed to send a wider message to journalists and their unions. This incident proves just how difficult it is for journalists in Pakistan to perform their duties when their lives are so clearly at risk by myriad of forces attempting to silence them.”

The IFJ has called on Pakistan’s media to remain vigilant to their safety both at work and in their travels and home environment. It has again reinforced its call to Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to take much-needed action on journalist killings, particularly in troubled regions such as Balochistan.

The IFJ expresses its deepest condolence to the families of Irshad Mustoi, Muhammad Abdul Rasool and Muhammad Younas.

International Federation of Journalists

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Three shot dead at Pakistan’s Online International News Network

New York: The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of two journalists and a network employee in Pakistan today, and calls on authorities to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Two unidentified gunmen stormed the offices of the independent news agency Online International News Network in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, killing the bureau chief Irshad Mastoi and a reporter, Ghulam Rasool Khattak. A network employee, accountant Muhammad Younis, was also killed, according to news reports.

All three were shot several times, according to police. Khattak and Younis were killed immediately, and Mastoi was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead, reports said. The assailants fled the scene, according to reports.

“This brazen attack underscores the dangers faced by journalists in Baluchistan where the press is constantly under pressure from all sides,” said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. “The authorities must bring not only the gunmen but also those who commissioned them to justice. Anything less will send the signal that journalists can be killed with impunity.”

Mastoi was secretary-general of the Baluchistan Union of Journalists, the largest journalist body in the southwestern province, according to Malik Siraj Akbar, editor and founder of The Baloch Hal news website. Mastoi was an assignment editor for the privately owned news channel ARY News and had written for publications including The Express Tribune. He had reported on issues including the political situation in the restive region, according to colleagues.

It is not clear what Khattak covered at the news agency.

Baluchistan–Pakistan’s largest province by area and smallest by population–is mired in an insurgency and sectarian strife. Its residents are faced with criminal activity, daily disappearances and targeted killings, and international journalists are routinely denied access to the province.

CPJ research shows that local journalists in Baluchistan face pressure from a number of sources: pro-Taliban groups and Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies, as well as separatists and state-sponsored anti-separatist militant groups. At least six other journalists have been murdered in Baluchistan in direct relation to their work in the past decade, according to CPJ data.

Committee to protect journalists