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33 Pakistani journalists killed since 2000
(Updated April 2008)

The last seven years in Pakistan – from 2000 to 2008 – have seen murders of 33 journalists but only in few cases the accused were prosecuted by the government and in one case only, sentenced by the court. The dead include three staff members of a newspaper killed in a bomb attack in Karachi.

Statistics compiled by Intermedia, a Pakistani media development NGO, from published reports show that of the 29 journalists killed during the seven years, five died in the restive tribal areas adjacent to Afghanistan. 

Killed in the line of duty
A total of five journalists were killed in tribal areas alone from 2000 to 2006 and not a single perpetrator has been arrested, prosecuted or convicted. The dead tribal journalists include; Hayatullah Khan, AFP; Amir Nawab Khan, APTN; Allah Noor Wazir, Khyber TV; Ubaidullah Azhar, Online news agency; and Nasir Afridi, Khabrain. 

In tribal areas the controversial Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) is frequently invoked against media but when media persons are killed it is never invoked against suspect assassins. When some government employee is killed in tribal areas Territorial Responsibility Laws (under FCR) are invoked to give collective punishment to the tribe in whose area the murder takes place, especially if the tribe does not present the assassin to authorities within a given time period. Even this provision has not been invoked by Pakistani authorities in case of murders of journalists. Tribal areas have become killing fields for journalists.

Pakistani apex court recently declared that the country’s courts have no jurisdiction in tribal areas, where recently 80 people were bombed to death in an aerial attack by government which accused the dead of indulging in terrorist trainings. Interestingly, the killing of Hayatullah Khan of South Waziristan tribal area had lead to constitution of a judicial tribunal by the government headed by chief justice of Peshawar High Court, whose findings, though complete, are not being made public.

Other journalists killed during the last seven years and their case status is as follows: 

Muhammad Ismail Malik, PPI
In November 2006, Islamabad-based, Muhammad Ismail Malik, the Pakistan Press International (PPI) Resident Editor, was found dead in a roadside jungle, near a busy super market of the federal capital. Police registered an FIR against unknown persons. After noisy protests by journalists, police came up with an accused allegedly tutored to confess to “revenge- killing” and make embarrassing allegations pertaining to moral conduct of the victim. Officials admit that such confessions made before the police are not admissible in the court of law and in the absence of additional evidence, like medical check up of the accused, he may even be acquitted. The journalists’ community and family members of the victim are shocked, embarrassed and apparently silenced by this tactics of administration. In these circumstances, the real culprits may go scot-free and the real motives may never be known. One accused and a co-accused have now been sent to jail by a court order pending a trial.

Maqbool Siyal (Online news service), Dera Ismail Khan
In September 2006, Dera Ismail Khan-based Maqbool Siyal of Online news wire service was murdered by unknown people. D.I Khan Police Station, City registered an FIR but having failed to investigate the murder it has not moved the court so far. The investigation is currently closed and no suspects have been arrested. The Chief Minister, Punjab and leader of opposition in the National Assembly granted Rs. 300,000/- (Three Hundred Thousand) as compensation to the victim’s family. Federal Information Minister, Akram Durrani has announced compensation of Rs. 200,000/- (Two Hundred Thousand rupees), which is yet to materialize.      

Munir Sangi, a photographer of daily Kawish, Larkana, Sindh
In May 2006, Munir Sangi, a photographer of daily Kawish, Larkana, Sindh, was killed in a cross fire between two battling tribes of Sindh province. 15 other people had died in that clash. He was filming the gun battle. Munir Sangi, 28, a photo-journalist working for Daily Kawish in Larkana, was murdered in outskirts of Larkana city on May 29, 2006. FIR was registered with Taluka Thana, Larkana, and two persons – Abdul Karim and Mullah Madaho – were arrested. Presently the case is in Additional Session Court in Larkana and the judge has ordered a judicial inquiry into the murder. During his recent visit to Larkana on December 9, 2007, Sindh Chief Minister presented a cheque to three hundred thousand rupees (Rs300,00/-) to the widow of the deceased.

Mian Khalid Mahmood, Daily Inqilab
In the murder, in December 2005, of Lala-Musa-based Mian Khalid Mahmood, former president of Lala Musa Press Club, police has registered an FIR against unknown people. Police Station, City, Lala Musa has closed its investigations and no arrests have so far been made, hence the case is yet to reach the court. The victims family and police is said to be under tremendous pressure from local influential, including those from neighboring Gujrat city. The victim is survived by a widow and two daughters of the age of 3 and 2. No compensation has been given to the victim’s family.

Sajid Tanoli, Daily Shumal, Abbottabad
In the murder, in 2004, of Mansehra-based Sajid Tanoli, of Daily Shumal, Abbottabad, Police is reluctant to arrest the accused, Khalid Khan who is Nazim of Mansehra City – 2 and who is now an absconder. The case continues to be tried by Session Court Mansehra. No compensation has been granted by the government to the victim.

Amir Bux Brohi, Kawish Television Network (KTN)
Amir Bux Brohi, correspondent of daily Kawish was murdered in Shikarpur on September 2, 2003. The murder FIR was registered in Lakhi Dar police station and five persons – Shahnawaz Brohi, Zulfikar, Ghulam Nabi, Waheed and one unidentified -- were nominated as killers of Brohi. Four of them were arrested, however two – Shahnawaz and Zulfikar – bailed out while two others are still under arrest and one is at large. The case has been pending in the ATC-II Sukkur since then. There was no compensation given by the government while Brohi’s family has left Shikarpur and is on the run after threats by the accused persons. Brohi’s lawyer Nizam Baloch said that his father – Haji Elahi Bux – is not in his contact and is reportedly gone to Karachi or Hyderabad after threats by the accused persons and their families.

Daniel Pearl (Wall Street Journal), 2002, Karachi (Sindh)
Daniel Pearl disappeared from Karachi apparently trying to interview leaders of radical Islamic groups. His beheaded body was later found out. Four persons were arrested and prosecuted in the case, one of them Sheikh Ahmed Omer Saeed, who was sentenced to death by the trial court while his three accomplices were sentenced to jail for life. The death attracted world-wide attention including that of US President George Bush and Pakistan’s President Musharraf. The convicted persons have appealed before Sindh High Court, Karachi against their conviction, whereas the government has sought death penalty for the three persons sentenced to jail for life.

Jaffar Khan, Daily Pakistan
In 2002, Head-Marala (near Sialkot)-based journalist Jaffar Khan working for Urdu language daily newspaper, Pakistan, was target murdered by a 15-member police party led by police inspector, Rana Basharat at his house under the pretext of raiding a hideout of dacoits. Victim’s wife was injured in the attack. During three years of the trial before the session court, the accused inspector and his colleagues remained in jail and afterwards reached an out-of-court settlement with heirs of the murdered journalists through a payment of about Rs30,00,000/- (Three million rupees). The compromise was reached in a Jirga like setting comprising police officials, elders, lawyers and victim’s family. The session court disposed of the case after the compromise.   

Shahid Soomro, Daily Kawish
Shahid Soomro, correspondent of daily Kawish in Kandhkot, was murdered on October 20, 2002. Three persons were nominated in FIR that was lodged with Kandhkot police station. However the families of the victim and accused settled the case and the accused family, according to a decision by tribal jirga, paid compensation of 1.6 million to the victim’s family after which the case was withdrawn from the court. The victim’s family was also given three hundred thousand rupees by the government of Sindh. The victim is survived by two sons and 3 daughters, all below 14 years. 

Rana Akram, daily Pakistan, Lahore
In 2001, at Daska, Punjab-based, Rana Akram, working for Urdu language daily Pakistan, Lahore got killed as he wrestled with a terrorist outside his office and a grenade exploded. Police Station City, Daska, closed the case within three months by declaring the killed terrorist as unidentifiable. Two surviving sons and two daughters of the dead journalist could not pursue the case that has now been closed.

Najmul Hasan, Ziaul Haq, Sajid Mehmood (Nawa-e-Waqt), Karachi
The Karachi office of the national Urdu-language daily Nawa-e-Waqt was hit by a bomb attack in November 2000.  Three of the paper’s employees died from injuries sustained in the blast: Najmul Hasan Zaidi, the newspaper’s advertising manager; Ziaul Haq, assistant circulation manager; and Sajid Mehmood, a computer operator. The Soldier Bazaar police station officials arrested an accused, who confessed and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the session court. The decision was overruled by the Sindh High Court and accused was acquitted for lack of evidence. The decision has not been appealed against before the apex court by the government due to lack of evidence. Under the law police can reopen the case with fresh evidence and a different accused, something which has not been since the acquittal of previous accused two years ago. 

Sofi Muhammad Khan of Daily Ummat, Karachi
All four accused arrested in murder, in May 2000, for the murder of the Thar based Sofi Muhammad Khan of Daily Ummat, Karachi, were acquitted by the session court after four years of trial, for lack of evidence. The appeal against his acquittal is pending before Sindh High Court, Hyderabad Bench since early 2005, and having been admitted, it is yet to be finally decided since then.

Makhdoom Rafiq,  Editor ‘Nijaat’, Khairpur, Sindh
Makhdoom Mohammad Rafiq, chief editor of Sindhi newspaper Nijaat, was killed by unidentified men, apparently in a dispute over property, in Khora Town Gambat Taluka on Saturday 13th January 2007. Two motorcyclists shot him at a flourmill near his house and fled. Rafiq was taken to Taluka Hospital in Gambat, where he died. Residents of the area said Rafiq was involved in a property dispute with people of the Channa clan. The disputed plot is situated near Abul Wah in Khora. A case has not been registered so far but police have raided houses of several men from the Channa clan and arrested a number of suspects whose names they did not reveal. Rafiq will be buried on Saturday night or Sunday morning. He is survived by three widows, four sons and three daughters.  Late Hashmi single-handedly brought out daily Nijaat in 1974-75 from Sukkur and managed its administration and reporting throughout the years.

Noor Hakim, Vice President, Tribal Union of Journalists 
Five people including a senior journalist Vice President Tribal Union of Journalists, Noor Hakim, were killed on June 03, 2007, in an explosion in Malasyed, 20 kilometres from Khar in Bajaur Agency, when their vehicle hit a remote-controlled bomb on the road. 

Nisar Hussain Solangi, reporter, Khabroon daily 
A Pashto daily newspaper Khabroon reporter was allegedly killed by indiscriminate firing by five people in Kangri village on June 18, 2007. Five people on two motorcycles started indiscriminate firing and killed Khabroon reporter Nisar Hussain Solangi while he was busy distributing newspapers to the hawkers in the wee hours. 

Javed Khan, photo-journalist, Daily Markaz
On first day of Lal Masjid operation on July 04, 2007, Javed Khan, a photo-journalist from an Urdu daily 'Markaz' and also associated with a UK-based DM Digital TV,  lost his life and five others were injured while performing their professional duties. 

Muhammad Maqsood Ahmed, reporter, Al Qalam magazine 
Journalist Muhammad Maqsood Ahmed, 34, a reporter for Al-Qalam Magazine was killed in crossfire between the law-enforcers and the Lal Masjid students on July 05, 2007. He was a resident of Attock. He had been contributed articles to different newspapers “Jinnah” and “Islam” on various issues

Hamid Ali, Photographer, Daily Ummat
Hamid Ali a photographer of daily Ummat was crushed to death on 07 of August, 2007 by a speeding bus in Al-Asif area of Karachi. 

Rab Nawaz Chandio, reporter of Daily Halchal
A reporter of Daily Halchal, Hyderabad Rab Nawaz Chandio was gunned by unknown assailants in Khursheed Colony on 07th of September 2007. No case was registered by Kotri Police till the filing of report in paper.  

Azar Abbas Haidri, staff reporter, The Post
The Post staff reporter Azar Abbas Haidri (27) was shot dead on 17 October 2007, by unidentified killers in Qila Kot Police Station (Karachi) precincts on the Eid day. According to the Station House Officer Qila Kot Sultan, Azar Abbas Haidri was living with his paternal uncle Zahid Abbas in 4-Tara Building Noor Elahi Road Karcahi. The SHO said on the day of the incident the Azar left the house at around 8pm telling his uncle that he was going to the Lee Market. He said at around 2am some passer-by informed the local police that a Rickshaw driver had suddenly decamped after throwing a dead body from the three-wheeler near Shedi village Road. Police reached the spot after the information and found Azar Abbas dead with bullet injuries. Police report claims there was a disagreement on his plans of marriage. However, police sources say that might not be the actual cause of the murder. Police also do not rule out the possibility that some criminals might have tried to loot him and on his resistance might have fired at him.

Muhammed Arif Khan, ARY cameraman

On 19th of October 2007, Blasts in PPP rally held to welcome PPP leader in Karachi. Arif Khan, was a senior camera man of ARY Television, 

Ehsan Ali alias Commando Mazaari, correspondent, Daily Khabrain

Ehsan Ali Daily Khabrain correspondent alias Commando Mazaari, died in the Karachi blast. Deceased was correspondent of the daily Khabrain at Mureed Shakh, Obarro.

Abdur Rehman, correspondent, Daily Khabrain 
04 November, 2007 Abdur Rehman Daily Khabrain correspondent from Farooqabad district Sheikhupura was killed by his opponents. Slain journalist was sitting in his pharmacy in Melad chock when his rivals opened fired at him. Journalist had family dispute with enemies. Police has registered case and set up investigation team to arrest culprits

Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, journalist, Daily Jang

Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, 25th November 2007,a senior journalist and correspondent for a leading Urdu daily the Jang, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Satellite Town late on Friday night while he was on his way home. He was riding a motorbike along with a photo journalist, Wahid Pahalwani, when some unidentified armed men shot at him. He died while he was being moved to the Civil Hospital. He left behind a widow and four sons. His body was taken to Jhuddo, his native town, on Saturday. Police cordoned off the Satellite Town after the shooting.

Kamil Mashhadi, TV Journalist

On 31 December 2007, TV journalist Kamil Mashhadi was shot dead in Karachi. He received two bullets wounds, one to the head and the other to the chin and died on way to the Lady Reading Hospital. According to eyewitnesses, two men came to his house in Mohalla Hajian on Circular Road and called him out to receive his salary. As he emerged from the door they shot at him with a pistol. The 45-year-old journalist, who worked for a private TV channel, leaves six children to mourn his death. His son Syed Hamaat told reporters a family dispute was behind the murder.

Dr. Abdus Samad alias Dr. Chishti Mujahid, columnist, Akhbar e Jahan
On 10 February 2008, Renowned journalist Dr. Abdus Samad alias Dr. Chishti Mujahid, a senior columnist and photojournalist of Akhbar-i-Jehan was killed by a gunman in Satellite Town area, Quetta. He was 55. Mirak Baloch, the BLA spokesman called at the offices of several Quetta-based newspapers via a satellite phone said, “Mujahid was as a partial journalist, he wrote several articles against the Baloch struggle and late Nawab Akbar Bugti for which he was punished.” 

An earlier version of this report is also available on www.intermedia.org.pk