journalism Archives - Dissent Today

Jhelum Journalist Killed After Being Attacked By Unknown Men Outside Mosque

News Desk — Fri, 05 May 2023 11:02:01 +0000

Senior Jhelum journalist Imtiaz Baig was killed by unidentified men outside a local mosque, police said.

Imtiaz Baig was associated with Samaa TV for 8 years.

According to police authorities, the Samaa TV reporter was killed after unidentified men attacked him with baton outside a local mosque, reported The Nation.

The police are yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing.

Earlier reports suggested that Baig had died in an accident.

Journalists in Pakistan have faced serious obstacles to their work, including harassment, intimidation, assault, arbitrary arrest and detention, abduction, and death.

Earlier, Waziristan-based journalist Gohar Wazir was allegedly abducted by five unidentified men, who tortured him in captivity for more than 30 hours before releasing him on April 21.

Gohar Wazir is the president of the Bannu Press Club and mainly reports on human rights abuses in Waziristan.

The journalist had alleged that during the captivity, he was given electric shocks while he remained handcuffed until he conceded to their demands. The journalist’s captors had demanded that he record a video praising pro-government militants, according to the statement.

Women journalists have also complained about a surge in verbal abuse online. Senior journalist Gharida Farooqi recently opened up about the harassment she had to endure as a woman journalist in Pakistan in a report by The Washington Post, These women journalists were doing their jobs. That made them targets, especially from PTI trolls.

News Desk

dissenttoday.net

The post Jhelum Journalist Killed After Being Attacked By Unknown Men Outside Mosque appeared first on Dissent Today.

‘At Least 72 Journalists Attacked During 2022 To 2023 In Pakistan’

News Desk — Wed, 03 May 2023 12:45:43 +0000

At least 72 journalists and media professionals have been attacked during 2022-2023—including two killings of journalists, 62 instances of assault, three instances of kidnappings or abductions, three instances of raids and two detentions, according to a report released by Pakistan Press Foundation on World Press Freedom Day.

The report, titled:”Restricted content, physical violence and loaded rhetoric: Political
polarisation and uncertainty impinges media safety in Pakistan”, notes growing violence against journalists amid growing political uncertainty.

“Journalists were threatened in at least 20 instances, in addition to which, the trolling, harassment and abuse of journalists online also continued. Journalists and media professionals were arrested in at least 16 instances, and cases were registered, legal notices were issued, or inquiries were initiated against journalists in at least 12
instances,” says the report.

It also laments the lack of safety measures for journalists during coverage of political rallies, demonstrations, and protests.

It says the death of Channel 5 reporter Sadaf Naeem while covering former prime minister Imran Khan’s rally in Punjab in October 2022 could have been avoided had media organisations, organisers, political parties, and local authorities had implemented effective safety measures.

The report laments that even after the incident, “vague and ambiguous” Code of Conduct for National Media and political parties was issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The report notes that another Pakistani journalist Ashad Sharif was killed in Kenya on October 23, 2022, and there is still no clarity on his murder.

News Desk

dissenttoday.net

The post ‘At Least 72 Journalists Attacked During 2022 To 2023 In Pakistan’ appeared first on Dissent Today.

Pakistan Urged To Investigate Abduction, Torture Of Waziristan Journalist

News Desk — Wed, 03 May 2023 08:09:51 +0000

Committee to Protect Journalists has urged Pakistani authorities to investigate the abduction of Waziristan-based journalist Gohar Wazir, who was allegedly tortured in captivity for more than 30 hours before being released on April 21.

Gohar Wazir is the president of the Bannu Press Club and mainly reports on human rights abuses in Waziristan.

He was abducted last month by five unidentified men and taken to an undisclosed location where he was allegedly tortured. He was released after over a day.

In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for an “impartial” investigation into the abduction of the journalist.

The journalist has alleged that during the captivity, he was given electric shocks while he remained handcuffed until he conceded to their demands. The journalist’s captors had demanded that he record a video praising pro-government militants, according to the statement.

The US-headquartered organisation said they were “deeply disturbed by the brazen abduction” of the journalist.

“Pakistan authorities must swiftly and impartially investigate Wazir’s abduction and allegations that he was electrocuted in captivity and take serious steps to end a dangerous pattern of impunity related to violence against journalists,” Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator said.

In 2019, security personnel in plainclothes detained Gohar Wazir in Bannu after reporting on a protest by Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

He was held overnight at a Counterterrorism Police station with about two dozen other people. He was then transferred to a prison in Haripur District. He was later released.

Journalists in Pakistan have faced serious obstacles to their work, including harassment, intimidation, assault, arbitrary arrest and detention, abduction, and death.

News Desk

dissenttoday.net

The post Pakistan Urged To Investigate Abduction, Torture Of Waziristan Journalist appeared first on Dissent Today.