The chief minister has expressed concern over the situation and has issued standing orders to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani to tell that why progress was not made after the registration of the last two attacks on the residence of journalist and the accused were not brought to justice.

Business Recorder

This week’s incident saw unidentified attackers placed a bomb in the home of Jamshed Baghwan, the bureau chief of the Express News. Both the house and a car were damaged when the device exploded. The journalist and his family escaped the attack as Baghwan had seen unidentified men on a motorcycle planting the bomb. He and his wife took cover as the bomb exploded.

Police have begun an investigation into the attack but as yet no arrests have been made.

Unidentified men had previously planted a bomb at his home in March this year – that device was found and defused. A month later, masked men hurled a hand grenade at his home.

The latest attack is the fourth on a journalist associated with Express News in 2014. The TV channel has lost four staff members. In January, three employees were shot dead in Karachi when its van came under attack. In March, senior anchor Raza Rumi was attacked in Lahore and his driver was killed. In 2013, the channel’s Karachi office was attacked twice, without any casualties.

The PFUJ has expressed “anguish and pain” over the latest incident, noting the failure of authorities to protect Baghwan despite them being aware that he has been targeted twice before. The PFUJ said: “The attack has further increased the sense of insecurity among journalists as its shows that police are not taking the attacks on media seriously.”

Despite national and international campaigns, and repeated commitments from the government of Pakistan, the attacks on journalists and media continue to rise in one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.

The IFJ said: “The deteriorating security situation for journalists in Pakistan is deeply concerning. We call for an immediate investigation into the latest attack. Pakistan’s journalists are confronted by a horrific situation: a disturbing spike in violent attacks on individual journalists as well as the ruthless targeting of specific news outlets. Decisive action must be taken to improve their security.”

“The government must heed the calls of the media community in Pakistan and take meaningful steps to ensure the safety of journalists. The government must make every effort to ensure that death threats and violent attacks on journalists and media outlets are thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.”

International Federation of Journalists

He saw men who arrived on a motorcycle planting the bomb, enabling him and his wife enough time to take cover before the bomb went off.

A bomb was planted at his home in March this year, which was defused. A month later, masked men hurled a hand grenade at his house.

It was the fourth attack this year on a journalist associated with Express News, an Urdu-language TV news channel.

In January, three employees were shot dead in Karachi in an attack on a van. In March, presenter Raza Rumi was attacked in Lahore and his driver was killed.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists accused the authorities of failing to protect Baghwan despite it having been targeted twice before. It said: “The attack has further increased the sense of insecurity among journalists as its shows that police are not taking the attacks on media seriously.”

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also condemned the attack, saying it was deeply concerned by “the deteriorating security situation for journalists in Pakistan.”

The IFJ said: Pakistan’s journalists are confronted by a horrific situation: a disturbing spike in violent attacks on individual journalists as well as the ruthless targeting of specific news outlets. Decisive action must be taken to improve their security.”

The Guardian

The assailants fled the scene. Baghwan and his wife rushed back into their home shortly before the explosion occurred, according to local reports. The explosion damaged the windows and exterior of Baghwan’s home and car. No one was injured, reports said.

Baghwan said he had not received any threats recently, according to the Tribune. Authorities launched an investigation into the attack.

Baghwan’s home was also attacked in March and April 2014. No group immediately claimed responsibility for any of the attacks, according to the Pakistan-based Freedom Network, a local media watchdog group.

Committee to Protect Journalists

Reporters Without Borders condemns today’s bombing of the home of Jamshed Baghwan, Express News TV’s bureau chief in Peshawar. It was the third attempt to target Baghwan and his family with an explosive device since March and the latest in an 11-month-old string of attacks on Express Media group personnel and installations, some of which have been claimed by the Taliban.

Left in a milk pack in front of the house by men on a motorcycle, today’s home-made bomb damaged the outside of the building but caused no injuries when it was set off by a timer at 11 am.

“We are outraged by this latest murder attempt targeting an Express News journalist and his family,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific desk. “We urge the authorities to react quickly and to assign security personnel to protect their home.”

“My family members and I are all safe, thank God,” Baghwan told RWB. “More than one kilogram of explosives was used in the attack. Today’s blast was bigger than the previous ones.”

Asked who he thought was behind the bombs, Baghwan said: “The enemy is unknown. I am clueless as to why these elements are targeting my house. I see no reason to believe that these attacks are unrelated to my profession.”

Although no group has claimed the bomb attacks on Baghwan’s home, the police think the same people were behind them, and that the motive may have been to put pressure on him and other journalists.

Baghwan also expressed dismay at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government’s failure to protect him. “No-one from the government side has contacted me since these bombs started going off outside my home. I’ve not been provided any security nor has the information minister expressed any solidarity with me.”

The attacks on Express News began in August 2013, when shots were fired at its headquarters in Karachi. It was the target of shots and bombs again in December. Three of its employees were shot dead in Karachi in January. And, on 28 March, shots were fired at a car carrying star programme host Raza Rumi, killing his driver and injuring his bodyguard.

Some of these attacks have been claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which said it acted to combat the negative coverage it was getting from Express News and other media.

Pakistan is ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

Reporters Without Borders

A remote-controlled explosive material was placed by the unidentified men, outside the residence of Bhagwan, and it exploded while the journalist was at home.

The Express Tribune reported that Bhagwan was leaving his house along with his wife when he saw unidentified persons on motorcycle placing a homemade bomb at the door. The bomb exploded as soon as Bhagwan and his wife ran inside their house to take cover.

There were no casualties but the main gate, window panes and car were damaged.

Earlier this year on March 19,ban improvised explosive device (IED) with two kilograms of explosives was found in front of his house which was subsequently defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad. On April 6, 2014 two masked men riding a motorcycle threw a hand grenade at the main gate of house which went off with a loud bang damaging the gate. The journalist and his family members remained unhurt.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) General Secretary Amin Yousuf, Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) President Nisar Mahmood strongly condemned the attack on Bhagwan’s house.

Pakistan Press Foundation

The report highlighted that despite six people being convicted in the case, justice is far from complete as two convicts are still at large and mastermind of the killing is yet to be identified. The report also mentions that during the trial, five more people linked to the case were also murdered including witnesses, informants, and investigators.

The conviction seems to have had scant impact on those who are targeting the media in Pakistan. Three staffers of Express Media group were killed in January, while analyst and anchor of Express News show “Khabar Se Agay” Raza Rumi, came under a gun attack in Lahore on March 28, 2014, in which his driver, Mustafa, was killed and his guard injured.

Separately, Express News bureau chief in Peshawar Jamshed Baghwan was targeted twice within the span of one month. First a bomb was found outside his house on March 21, while on April 7 a hand grenade was hurled at his residence in Peshawar. Perpetrators in all the attacks are yet to be apprehended.

The rate of unsolved journalist murders per million inhabitants in Pakistan has improved from 0.130 unsolved journalist murders per million inhabitants previous year to 0.123 this year.

Impunity high in conflict region

With 100 journalists murdered in the last decade and 100 per cent impunity, Iraq remains the worst offender on the Impunity Index, a spot it has held since 2008. The two year silence in fatal anti-press violence was broke with the nine new murders in late 2013. The rate of unsolved journalist murders per million inhabitants has increased from 2.818 to 3.067.

Somalia and Philippines have also retained their spots on the Impunity Index, second and third slots respectively. Somalia’s rating worsened for the sixth year in a row. Although the anti-press violence has moved slightly down from its record high in 2012, with four new murders in 2013, journalists continue to be targeted.

Battle hit Syria has joined the ranks of Iraq and Somalia for the first time this year. Syria has been dubbed as the most dangerous country for the journalists with more than 60 media persons been killed in the cross fire and unprecedented number of abductions. Now deliberate murders of journalists have made it a worst, at least seven journalists have been targeted in Syria since 2012, with all complete impunity. The perpetrators come from all sides—non-Syrian militant groups, rebels targeting pro-government media, and President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Syria is placed fifth on the impunity index at the rate of 0.313 unsolved journalist murders per million inhabitants.

CPJ’s 2014 Global Impunity Index

Express Tribune

The hotline will be active round the clock and journalists can call the toll free number (0800-00400) any time.

After receiving a complaint, the hotline’s operator register it and direct concerned officials of the respective district to take action immediately.

DSP Operations has been made in-charge of the hotline and will regularly report to the police chief in this regard.

Express News bureau chief Jamshed Baghwan’s residence in Peshawar was targeted on Sunday in a grenade attack which damaged the front gate of his house in Murshidabad. Earlier, a powerful bomb planted outside Baghwan’s house was defused by the police.

Express Tribune

This was stated in a statement issued here by PCP Chairman, Raja Shafqat Abbasi who took strong exception to the attacks/threats on working journalist and warned that nobody should be allowed to pressurize the media to toe their line.

He said repeated attacks/threats on media persons/houses is the biggest challenge for those who advocate for democracy, free press and revere difference in opinion . Chairman has asked the government to take effective measure to protect free functioning of the press.

He said on this grave issue PCP will take up the issue of security of media houses with the concerned government officials. He said under article 19 and 19(A) of the constitution government is bound to protect free functioning of the press and security of the working journalist.

“Now we need to react fast and nation must unite to take on those who pose a threat to free press”, He added.

He said these are tough times as forces of disorder and conflict are pitched against decency of order, rule of law and free flow of information and we must tackle it with a befitting response.

Pakistan Observer

The protestors, who came out from the Peshawar Press Club in a procession, were led by Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) President Nisar Mahmood and Peshawar Press Club President Nasir Hussain. The protesters were holding banners and placards demanding protection to mediapersons and the arrest of the attackers.

Addressing the protesting journalists, the KhUJ president condemned the attack on the residence of Jamshed Baghwan, bureau chief of a private television channel, and described it an attempt to gag voice of the journalists. He said it was not the first incident but over 100 journalists had lost their lives in the line of duty across the country.

“The attackers, whoever they may be, cannot suppress our voice through such mean tactics because journalists are ready to render sacrifices for fulfilling their professional duties at all costs without succumbing to any pressure,” he said.The press club president said it was duty of the government to hold an inquiry into the matter and unveil the offenders involved in the terrorist act.

He said that targeting the journalists was meant to silence voice of the society. He said that it was the second attack on the journalist as previously an improvised explosive device had been recovered from the locality.

A large number of media people attended the protest and chanted slogans seeking protection to the journalists. Former provincial minister and ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain also visited the Press Club to express solidarity with the journalists and condemn the attack on Jamshed Baghwan’s house.

The News