IPI Concerned about Impunity in Crimes against Journalists in Pakistan
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, is deeply concerned over the killing of Pakistani journalist Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, who was shot dead by an unidentified man on a motorcycle on the night of 23 November in Mirpur khas, in the southern Sindh province.
Mujahid, president of the Mirpur khas Press Club and a senior journalist for the leading Urdu daily, Jang, wrote a weekly column in which he often criticised police and landowners for mistreating the poor, according to news reports.
IPI urges Pakistan’s authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder and bring the perpetrators to justice, in this way proving the Pakistan government’s serious intention to prosecute those who commit crimes against the media.
Mujadin’s murder comes less than one week after the killing of Mehrunisa Khan, the widow of Hayatullah Khan, a journalist for the Urdu-language daily, Ausaf. Hayatullah Khan was abducted on 5 December 2005 after reporting that a U.S. missile had killed a senior al-Qaeda figure, contradicting official Pakistani reports on the event. He was found dead with a bullet wound to the head on 16 June 2006.
Khan had received numerous threats from Pakistani security forces, Islamic militants, and local leaders because of his reporting. Hayatullah Khan’s younger brother, Bashir Khan, was murdered on 26 September 2006, in what appeared to be a warning to Hayatullah Khan’s family to stop putting pressure on the authorities for an investigation into the journalist’s murder. It is believed that the recent killing of Hayatullah Khan’s wife was meant to silence her vocal calls for the punishment of her husband’s murderers. According to international reports, Mehrunisa had received threats prior to her death. These were reported to the authorities, who failed to take action.
With six journalists murdered since the beginning of 2007, Pakistan has become one of the most dangerous countries in Asia for journalists. The number of journalists killed in Pakistan has been growing steadily for the past four years. Impunity in Pakistan has prevented independent and effective investigations and contributed to an increase in the number of crimes against journalists.
Furthermore, restrictions recently imposed on the media as a consequence of the emergency rule have placed an even greater pressure on the media and threaten to compromise the fairness of the upcoming general elections.
Ever since the imposition of the state of emergency on 3 November, journalists in Pakistan have protested against press freedom violations and limitations of their ability to carry out their work.
At a 22 November meeting, four Pakistani national organisations representing journalists, editors, newspaper publishers and broadcasters – the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) – issued a joint declaration condemning the government’s recent clampdown on the media, which has “wreaked heavy damage on the existing structures for sustaining free press and freedom of expression in Pakistan.” The joint declaration also presented a “plan of action to be tackled by the Government of Pakistan” for the restoration of press freedom in the country.
“Over many years, Pakistan’s journalists have fought with great courage and sacrifice for their right to report freely, critically and independently. Recent developments now threaten to destroy the gains made during 20 years of struggle for press freedom and democracy.”
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International Press Institute (IPI)
Spiegelgasse 2/29
A-1010 Vienna
Austria
Tel: + 431-512 90 11
Fax: + 431-512 90 14
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.freemedia.at
IPI, the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, is dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, the protection of freedom of opinion and expression, the promotion of the free flow of news and information, and the improvement of the practices of journalism.
Source: IPI
Date:11/27/2007
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