Threatened: Pakistan’s legacy of authoritarianism means that no one pays much attention to the growing roster of threats to journalists. 123rf.com
BEING a journalist in Pakistan is a dangerous proposition. A noose is put around your neck when you begin and it is tightened gradually as journalists you know are “disappeared” or harassed or murdered outright.
Many of those who manage to stay afloat are targets. The tiniest act of rebellion or upsetting someone powerful can constitute a real threat for the country’s journalists.
Journalist Ajay Laalwani was in a barbershop on the evening of March 18 when two motorcycles and a car with four passengers drove up and sprayed Laalwani with bullets before speeding away. Laalwani was taken to hospital but did not survive the attack. Ashiq Jatoi, the editor of Laalwani’s newspaper, said he believes that Laalwani’s writing and reporting could have motivated the killing. Once again, whether this is true will remain mired in myster
The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy.
BEING a journalist in Pakistan is a dangerous proposition. A noose is put around your neck when you begin and it is tightened gradually as journalists you know are ‘disappeared’ or harassed or murdered outright. Many of those who manage to stay afloat are targets. The tiniest act of rebellion or upsetting someone powerful can constitute a real threat for the journalists of the country.
Ajay Laalwani, who worked for a newspaper, was in a barbershop in Sukkur on the evening of March 18. Suddenly two motorcycles and a car with four passengers drove up. They began to spray Laalwani with bullets and then sped away. Laalwani was taken to hospital but he did not survive the brutal attack. Ashiq Jatoi, the editor of the newspaper, said he believes that Laalwani’s writing and reporting could have motivated the killing. Once again, whether this was actually true will remain mired in mystery. Past tensions b
Pandemic and state pile pressure on Pakistani journalists
Newspaper editors label Covid-19 and state censorship as major threats to media workers
A new report by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors has identified Covid-19 and state censorship as major threats to journalists.
According to the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors Media Freedom Report 2020 released on Jan. 31, nine journalists died battling the deadly pandemic last year while at least 10 were murdered.
“Journalists and cameramen increasingly became victims of the virus. Often they had to interview either the corona affected or people appointed for their treatment. They faced problems of adapting standard operating procedures in newsrooms and reportage of the virus. It depicts neglect and non-seriousness in taking necessary steps to protect media workers,” it states.
Peshawar
December 18, 2020
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The relatives and members of the Christian and journalists communities and civil society on Thursday staged a protest rally against the police and district administration for their failure to arrest the killers of journalist Qais Javed Masih.
The protesters, including the sisters and a son of slain Qais Javed Masih, members of Christian and journalist communities and civil society staged the protest at the GPO Chowk. Holding posters and placards inscribed with slogans of “justice for slain journalist Qais Javed” and “arrest the killers of journalist”, the protesters demanded the government to insert the 7-ATA in the first information report and arrest the killers forthwith.