ATC verdict in Wali Babar case hailed
PESHAWAR: Freedom Network (FN) has welcomed the verdict of an anti-terrorism court in Sindh province convicting six murderers of the private news channel reporter Wali Khan Babar.
“The court’s verdict is a move in right direction. We hope pending cases of other killed journalists, which run into dozens, will also get pursued in other parts of the country,” FN said on March 2 in a press freedom alert.
FN, Pakistan’s first media watchdog organisation, said the historical verdict would lead to a turning point to fight back the unprecedented impunity of crimes against media in Pakistan as it is the first case involving a Pakistani journalist whose murder case was taken to logical conclusion.
Earlier, the prosecutors had successfully fought legal case of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was found dead in early 2002 after kidnapped from Karachi.
“The job is half done,” FN reminded the government. “The earlier arrest of the two absconders in the reporter’s murder is a litmus test for law-enforcing agencies,” the press freedom organization said.
FN, however, hailed the Sindh province government for pursuing the case of Wali Babar despite several attempts to impede the justice. “The provincial government, the investigators and the prosecutor’s roles are commendable. However, the journey has not yet finished and the good work needs to be continued,” the press freedom organization pressed.
” 
” 
” 
” 
