New Delhi: The South Asian country has turned into a dangerous haven for working journalists, with the Press Emblem Campaign expressing deep concern over the latest fatality.
Nisar Lehri, a senior journalist in Mastung, Balochistan, was gunned down on September 4, becoming the tenth journalist to be killed in Pakistan this year. The Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemned the killing, highlighting the country’s alarming trend of violence against media professionals.
PEC President Blaise Lempen demanded a thorough investigation into Lehri’s murder, emphasizing that the perpetrators should not be allowed to escape justice. “For any reason, the assailants must be held accountable under the law of the land,” he stated.
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Nava Thakuria, the PEC’s South Asia representative based in Guwahati, India, noted that Lehri’s killing followed the death of Muhammad Bachal Ghunio in Sindh province on August 27. The list of Pakistani journalists killed since January 1 also includes Malik Hassan Zaib, Khalil Afridi Jibran, Nasrullah Gadani, Kamran Dawar, Mehar Ashfaq Siyal, Maulana Mohammad Siddique Mengal, Jam Saghir Ahmad Lar, and Tahira Nosheen Rana.
Mr. Thakuria pointed out that Bangladesh has also experienced a surge in journalist killings, particularly during and after the anti-reservation movement that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Five Bangladeshi journalists, including Tahir Zaman Priyo, Hasan Mehedi, Shakil Hossain, Abu Taher Md Turab, and Pradip Kumar Bhowmik, were killed during this period.
The PEC’s statement underscores the urgent need for greater protection for journalists in South Asia and calls for authorities to take concrete measures to address the escalating violence against media professionals in the region.
