PAKISTAN: 04 journalists and 05 support staff shot dead

Fri, Sep 12, 2014 at 4:37 PM

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission on this year 

38 injured and 06 others received death threats 

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 28^th 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 14^th 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 1^st 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 17^th 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 wereWaqas 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 28^th 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 19^th 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 22^nd 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 2^nd 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 19^th 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 14^th 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 15^th 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 17^th 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 30^th 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.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

PAKISTAN: World Press Freedom Day --

Sat, May 3, 2014 at 2:49 PM

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

57 journalists killed during the last 15 years

Courtesy photo

The United States, the United Kingdom and a delegation of the European Union on Friday called upon the Government of Pakistan to resolutely defend media freedom in the country, adding that gags on the media and attacks on journalists were not acceptable.

While marking the World Press Freedom Day today, May 3, the European Union Delegation, in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Pakistan, expressed in a statement its deep concern over the steadily deteriorating environment for media freedom in Pakistan. The EU delegation said that Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

May 3, was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly in 1993. This year’s theme for this day, as declared by the UN, is “Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda”.

Amnesty International in its statement of April 30 said that journalists in Pakistan live under the constant threat of death, harassment and other violence from all sides, including the intelligence services, political parties and armed groups like the Taliban. Pakistan’s media community is effectively under siege. Journalists, in particular those covering national security issues or human rights, are targeted from all sides in a disturbing pattern of abuses carried out to silence their reporting. The spy agency has been implicated in numerous abductions, torture and killings of journalists, but no serving ISI officials has ever been held to account which effectively allows it to continue to operate beyond the reach of the law. Human rights violations against journalists by the ISI often follow a familiar pattern that starts with threatening phone calls and escalates into abductions, torture and other ill-treatment, and in some cases extrajudicial killings.

The World Press Freedom Index 2014, issued by the international non-governmental organisation “Reporters without Borders” earlier this year, termed Pakistan “..... the world’s deadliest country for media personnel”, adding that for the second year running, the Indian sub-continent is the Asian region with the biggest rise in violence for journalists. The index calls the targeted nature of the violence “the most disturbing development”. The report ranked Pakistan at the 158th position out of 180 countries.

It is evidently true, as far as the government is concerned that Pakistan is not the deadliest country in the world for journalists. They claim that dozens of media houses are operating freely and that the media has never enjoyed such freedom in its history. However, every year on average a dozen journalists are killed and many are injured by the attacks from Muslim banned organisations, extremists and secret spy agencies run by the military establishment. Many journalists have told various quarters that they would be attacked or killed by state intelligence agencies particularly by the notorious ISI. The Taliban and other Muslim fundamentalist’s organisations are operating freely and they monitor the broadcasting of every television channel and try to dictate their policies. In most cases the owners of the media houses follow their instructions. But the lives of individual journalist remain at the mercy of the militant organisations without protection even from their employers. The governments always want to remain as silent spectators as if the protection of journalists or media houses is not their responsibility.

The year 2014 started with the killing and attack on journalists. On January 1, Mr. Shan Dahar, the reporter of Abb Takk television was shot dead while filming near a pharmacy in Larkana. He had already produced one story on prescription drugs being illegally resold in the town, and was taking video of a package bearing a "not for resale" label on it shortly before he was shot dead.

On January 17, Gunmen riding on motorcycles shot dead three Express News workers on Friay after ambushing a stationary DSNG van in a busy neighbourhood of Karachi. This was the third and most lethal strike on Express Media Group and its staff in the space of five months. In two previous attacks, the main offices of Express Media Group, were targeted. The January 17’s ambush took the lives of a technician, security guard and a driver, all of whom were seated in the front of the van. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the latest attack in a live telephone call from Afghanistan to Express News.

From January 2013 to date, 17 journalists were attacked and injured either by the intelligence agencies, beaten and tortured by police or by injured by violent people while covering processions and rallies. Other journalists mentioned in the report are living under the dangling swords of life threats. The authorities were least bothered about conducting investigation in the matter except in the case of Hamid Mir, who was attacked by unknown persons while he was coming from Karachi airport during the tight security arrangements for former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf.

On March 28, Raza Rumi, a prominent journalist and anchorperson from Express News channel has survived an assassination attempt but his driver was killed. He left the country as he found no security or protection from the government. The Taliban has accepted the responsibility for the attack which has given a good excuse to the government that they can not provide protection as the Taliban is beyond the reach of the law enforcement agencies including the military intelligence agencies.

On April 6, Jamshed Baghwan, Peshawar bureau chief of Express News was been targeted for the second time this year. A bag with 2.5kg of explosives was found outside his house, and on April 6, grenades were thrown at his residence. Baghwan says every day his mother and colleagues tell him to leave the country as they do not find any protection from the law enforcement agencies.

On April 19, a prominent journalist and anchorperson of Geo TV was attacked by unknown persons and he was critically injured by six bullets. He and his family members accused the ISI and its chief general Zaheerul Islam for the attempt to kill him. The military establishment, instead of, conducting inquiries against the allegations rather file a petition before the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to cancel the license of Geo TV for hurling the blame on ISI. The ISI and military establishment are using banned Muslim terrorists organisations and its paid politicians to agitate on the streets in favour of military and the ISI.

On May 2, a Geo TV News cameraman was subjected to thrashing and a bid was made to snatch his camera. Geo News cameraman Asif Kabir was going to the channel’s office located in Model Town A, Bahawalpur, Punjab, when three bike riders wearing helmets intercepted him. The three men called him a traitor and an Indian agent and assaulted him. They injured badly but no case has been filed by the local police.

During the year 2013, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) documented that 13 journalists were killed while performing their duties. 55 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in Pakistan in the last ten years, and 36 of them were deliberately targeted and murdered because of their work, says the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in its latest report. The PPF say, for every journalist who has been deliberately targeted and murdered, there are many others who have been injured, threatened and coerced into silence. Sadly, the perpetrators of violence against journalists and media workers enjoy almost absolute impunity in Pakistan. This is seriously hampering press freedom in the country.

In the country the media freedom is fragile. Journalists are being harassed or killed for doing their work, publications are being censored or shut down, and laws are being passed which criminalise free speech. This reality does not change on the Internet. Along with the jobs offered by the network, new obstacles emerge: content filtering, monitoring and suspension of Internet access, often without due regard to individuals’ fundamental rights.

The judiciary, which is always looking for the political cases to shut up the democratically elected governments by using Suou Moto actions while the government fail to control the spy agencies and its cronies for the attacks on journalists and escape from their responsibilities for the protection and suitability of the freedom of expression which is the basis of a democratic society.

The AHRC calls upon the military establishment to halt the use of coercive actions on the freedom of expression and press as if it is continued it would lead to the defeat of the military in the hands of unarmed media persons. The Government of Pakistan must ensure that all abuses committed against journalists are duly investigated and that appropriate action is taken against perpetrators while the public is provided with information on the outcome of enquiries.

The government must defend media freedom, this being an important component of the freedom of expression as defined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and in the Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Two senior journalists were killed in 48 hours

PAKISTAN:The killings of journalists continue unabated
 February 28, 2013                                                                            Two senior journalists were killed during the short span of 48 hours. As is usual, enquiry committees have been formed by the authorities to investigate the killings and the motives behind the incidents. However, as committees have been formed in the past for the same reason which have not shown any results there is not much hope that the latest committees will show any progress.

 A report by AHRC

On February 27, Mr. Malak Mumtaz Khan, a renowned journalist of the tribal areas and president of the Miranshah Press Club, was shot dead in North Waziristan. The area of Miranshah is known as a war zone which is under the control of the Taliban and from time to time the military conduct operations against the terrorists. Malak was going home from Miranshah bazaar in his car when men in another vehicle opened fire at him near his Miranshah Kalley village at about 4pm. He suffered bullet wounds to his head and chest and died on the spot. Malak was associated with several print and electronic media organisations, including The News, Jang, Geo TV and AVT Khyber.

The senior journalist, Mr. Khushnood Ali Shaikh, the chief reporter of the state-controlled Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) wire agency was killed in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident by a car near his house on February 25. It is said that he was asked to pay an amount of Rs. 50,000 in extortion, ostensibly from a political group, for purchasing a new house. He was receiving threatening calls of the abduction and killing of his child if he did not pay the money demanded. He informed his journalist organization, his news agency, the APP, and the police of the threats. But after not getting any relief he shifted to Islamabad, the capital. When he thought the situation had been settled he returned to Karachi but again received threatening calls and it is believed that this resulted in his killing. The Police has appointed a highly designated officer to conduct the enquiry.

During the first two months of this year five journalists have been killed including three journalists in two bomb blasts in Quetta city, the capital of Balochistan province, when the Hazara Shia community was targeted by a sectarian organization.  

Pakistan is among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists with a total of 87 deaths since the year 2000.  During the year 2011 16 journalists were killed and in 2012 nine journalists died while performing their official duty which ranked Pakistan as the third most dangerous country in the world for journalists. The tribal areas, Khaber Pakhton and Baluchistan provinces are the most dangerous areas for journalists.

Besides the number of journalists killed more than 100 journalists were injured while performing their duties. The government at all tiers claim that they are providing treatment to the injured journalists and taking care of the welfare of their family members. However the government and the media houses have failed to provide protection to the working journalists, particularly in the war zone areas.  The media houses are equally responsible for not taking steps to provide protection to the journalists rather than taking them for granted. At times it looks as if media houses are happy when a journalist is killed as the names of the media houses are quoted at every level.

No one has ever been arrested or even named in these killings with the exception of the case of one US based journalist, Daniel Pearl whose murder was investigated with the assistance of the American authorities. As already stated there have been many judicial commissions on the subject of the killings but they have all failed to identify the killers. In the very famous inquiry by a judge from the Supreme Court into the mysterious killing of Saleem Shahzad of Asia News after one year of deliberations could not identify the killers. This is despite the fact that Saleem himself had complained that he was facing death threats from the intelligence agencies of armed forces. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FST-006-2012?searchterm=Saleem+Shahzad

The reason for the failure of the judiciary must be the insecurity of the judges which do not wish to associate themselves with any investigation into matters involving the military authorities or the terrorists. As a result they have failed to develop a system of protection under the law. The judiciary is well aware that there is no proper witness protection and terrorists enjoy this lacuna and the incapacity of the judiciary which gives them a good opportunity to pressure the legal proceedings. The case of murder of a journalist, Wali Khan Baber of Geo TV channel, is the best example to be quoted here as all the witnesses were killed. Despite this the judiciary remained silent on the matter.  http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-228-2012?searchterm=wali+khan+

Many journalists leave the country when they find no protection from their own organizations and the government. In 2011 four journalists left the country and in 2012 a further eight journalists left. These journalists, when they received shelter abroad have been hired by international media houses because of their investigative journalism.

The absence of any government policy to protect media workers continues to hamper the ability of journalists to work freely in Pakistan. After every incident of killing the government comes out with tall assurances to the journalist community. The same may be said about the media houses who always try to shift the responsibility onto the authorities but have never made any effort to develop a mechanism through their powerful organizations which always works for their benefit but not of the welfare or protection of journalists supposedly under their care. 

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges the government of Pakistan to ensure protection for the journalist's community. This must necessarily include their families and loved ones. It is the responsibility of the government to rein in the military and the intelligence agencies to ensure that they do not carry out extrajudicial killings of journalists who expose their failings. Their time would be better spent controlling the terrorists that are a threat to the entire country. 

Freedom of expression is now so limited in Pakistan due to the various laws, including the blasphemy laws and the Official Secret Act of 1923 which generated intolerance in the society at every level. The only group that benefits from this Act is the terrorists and the state intelligence agencies. Therefore the government must follow Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has already been ratified by Pakistan. This Article provides space for the freedom of expression and a society based on tolerance.The Eagle Eye News

AHRC report on killing of journalists