Senior journalist and anchor Hamid Mir escaped an assassination bid on Monday when police defused a bomb planted under his car in Islamabad, police and his channel said.
Mir, who hosts the Capital Talk evening show on Geo TV and writes a column for Jang, was criticised by the Taliban last month in the wake of the shooting of teenage activist Malala Yousafzai.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the device was found stuck under the front passenger seat of his car, police said.
"There was half a kilo of explosives fitted with a detonator," city police chief Bani Amin told Geo, saying that officers had defused the bomb and were gathering evidence.
Mir was on his way to his office and the bomb was apparently planted when he stopped at a market, said Geo's Islamabad bureau chief Rana Jawad.
"It's a message to me as well as Geo and the journalist community in Pakistan," Mir told the television channel. "They want to stop us from speaking the truth but I want to tell them that we will not be deterred."
Interior Minister Rehman Malik offered a cash reward of Rs50 million for anyone with information about who was responsible for the powerful bomb.
"Had it exploded it would have blown the car into pieces," Malik told reporters, offering Mir extra protection.
According to Radio Pakistan, the interior minister announced that a committee has been constituted to probe the matter.
Mir said the interior ministry had told him about threats to his life and already provided a police guard at his home, but he did not name any group he thought might be behind the device.
"Let us wait for the enquiry report, only then we can say something," he said.
Intelligence officials said last month that an intercepted Taliban message suggested suicide bombers had been assigned to attack journalists, with Geo at the top of the list of targets because of their coverage of the Malala attack.
Taliban hitmen shot Malala on her school bus in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley because she had campaigned for girls' rights to education. The 15-year-old survived.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Pakistan was the third deadliest country for reporters in 2012, behind Syria and Somalia.
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Yes , CENTCOM , we should not leave them alone and helpless both in Pakistan Egypt and elsewhere who are against that Islam which is unacceptable to us .
@ Raj , Good way to extend encouragement and much neefed support to those who are determined to avhieve their set goal , perticularly in developing countries .
@Polpot , is your comment sarcastic one ? Polpot regime will now graved in Pakistan if any how came in to power .
Strange, the device is said to have been planted in broad day light at a busy place and that too when the car was locked.????????????????????? smells rat
Given Hamid Mir's past and how he asked the taliban to take care of Col Imam and his friends, not sure why they would want to kill him? The only plausible explanation is if he himself has planted it and then pretended that he found it. No other explanation makes sense.
If agencies or Taliban wanted him dead he would already be dead. For me this looks like cheap publicity!
Planted explosive device under his seat?. How did he find out. This is very very sad.May he be safe and healthy
ALLAH bless all of us, all human being in pakistan may stay blessed and safe. Ameen. One day these enemies of humanity will be running away to save their own lives, Inshallah.Because NATURE will never give them more time to play with innocents people's lives.It is my frim belief as humble Muslim.
Bed next to Malala has been kept ready +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ She and the Journalist can live safely only in Birmingham.
Dont worry Mir, your audio conversation will soon come to limelight in which TTP offer you for this fake encounter to earn cheap popularity.
I wish in the next attempt we see your pieces on GEO
Dear MJ,
There is no doubt that these terrorists must be stopped from achieving their evil mission. They are clearly working against our efforts to restore peace by spreading fear and panic among people. Terrorist organizations like the TTP are responsible for the killings of thousands in Pakistan alone. We stand by Pakistan in its fight against terror. We hope to work together to negate the threat that’s preventing us from achieving our peace objectives. We reiterate what Richard D. Olson, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, said recently: “We look to developing a deep counter-terrorism relationship with the government of Pakistan. We think that we face a common threat from Al-Qaeda and other extremist organizations and we want to work with the government of Pakistan on developing effective counter-terrorism methods.”
How exactly did he find out about the device though.
I'm not initiating a conspiracy theory here, just wondering why journalism in Pakistan has gone down the crapper. This is the first thing that comes to ur mind. And yet no journalist bothers with it -_-
(The answer cud be as simple as Hamid saw someone crouching near his car, but I'm just surprised no one asked Mr.Hamid Mir, at the very least out of curiosity)
A sad incidence ... We are looking forward to read agencies-crafted PTI trolls blaming PML-N for it !
The surprise on Rehman Malik's face is priceless!! "Maza nahi aaya?? Mir Sahab?" lol
God was on his side and protected him. I watch his talk shows occasionally and like them. He is balanced most of the time. Hamid Mir recently performed Hajj Pilgrimage and had the blessings of God. I believe your good deeds shall protect you and you will be rewarded unexpectedly and even from unknown sources.
Almighty God was on his side and protected him. I occasionally watch his talk shows. He is balanced most of the time and I like him. He performed Hajj Pilgrimage recently and God has blessed him. Good deeds never go waste. I believe that you will be rewarded from unknown and unexpected sources for your good deeds.
Good look Hamid Mir! Dear Mr. Mir, The surest way to protect your life is to cover news on Imran Khan & PTI and follow him 24/7, you know where ever IK is the talibans will never attack!
@Conspiracy theorist: You probably meant "skepticism" rather than "cynicism" but what you are practicing is neither - just plain irrational, illogical behavior.
I mean, what reason is there to be skeptical? Why is it so unbelievable that he would be targeted? Is there no one out there who would want Hamid Mir dead? Pretty much all famous journalists in Pakistan are probably on somebody or the other's hit list.
The people who planted this bomb they are enemies of Pakistan not Hamid Mir alone. The whole Pakistan need to stand against them.
@I am an Indian , If you feel this name suit you then you then will be recieved by Indian counselate at Afghanistan . Mass exodus may be possible due to PAK AT WAR as happened in 1971 in east . If we will give you assylum here in India then a war may broke out .No one will like to see such a situation . UN has alredy suggested you all to remain in alerted state .
When will the persecution of minorties stop in our country?
PAKISTAN AT WAR we said........NATO is there to help you if required . Pak army may also take the help of China or India as she per her preferrnce . International force also has an open choice to take collaboration like Pakistan and in handing over the present charge after 2014 .
Thanks Allah May Allah swt Protect u & ur family AMEEN
@sabi: @Shahid Butt:
(Q) How did he come to know about the device?
(Answer) The way he discovered water car kit and promoted it on media.
Good question and right answer, I must say I'm impressed by both.
@Trippy Lucifer: "I hope he wins nobel prize." You mean chernobyl prize?
This man ranks top ten who have most numbers of files contained by agencies.'Internal matter'.
@ Aisha Azeem
Why do you post similar kind of comments on every page, depicting hopelessness and hatred for Pakistan???
I hope he wins nobel prize.
which car he was using BMW or Mercedes?
First - Thanks God he is safe , Second - incomplete story , there is a big HOW he came to know that there is a bomb under his seat , and its quit easly identified that where were his car in last say 24 hours. these media men take Baal Ki Khal for every news , but in this case no question were raised on HOW ? , why?
@A Pakistani: Every other Pakistani wants to leave the country. Please come to think about it if all sane people would leave this country then who would protect it and make it a better place for our future generation now is the time to get up and fight for "our" war its the moderates against the extremists. We gotta lay down our lives for a prosperous & safe Pakistan. Change is "theirs" to adopt if they cant accept it we shall fight them! Lets all get united and make our tomorrow a stable one. Rise & wake up before its too late! For once please stop going to west to earn a better living- west will give you money but will not give you peace of mind. You cannot take this money/assets to your grave can you? in the end it will not matter so why not for a second just think how can you be of benefit to future Pakistani generation, our kids their kids and so on so please Stop trying to leave the country. Lets face this menace of evil and confront it fight it and die with dignity & honor. Lets show our kids what we did to protect this country. Jinnah Created Pakistan We have to "KEEP" Pakistan "ALIVE" Love and Peace to all my countrymen.
On further investigation, the metal box turned out to be Mr. Mirs lunch box.
DRAMA. What for you need to go so cheap, you already have more than you deserve.
Having read the full story this appears to be a drama. Who in Pakistan geos to so much length? The customary method is to use Kalashnikov there and then.
You guys should watch the bollywood movie "RUSH" - highly related to such incidents.
Survival rate seems high. It looks like Taliban have started attacking Taliban now. First it was Ameer-ul-Momineen Qazi Hussain Ahmed and now Hamid Mir? Who is next on their list? Imran Khan and then Hafiz Saeed, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq and then world's greatest warrior, Gen. Hamid Gul?
It is for everyone's benefit that we destroy the taliban and their like mindedness fitna once and for all.
Loving the comments from Media sheeps here. I love you guys just buy everything these media anchors have to sell you Such lack of cynicism in educated class scares me.
How did he know that bomb was there?
I wish i could leave Pakistan for some civilized society.....
mr mir should not ignore israelis who are equaly annoyed with his video interview with the orthodox rabine.
rex minor
Bravo journalism....
This appears to be a warning shot to Mr. Hamid Mir. It's the Saleem Shahzad story being repeated.
Either the people planting the box were too dumb or this could be a way to get credibility. Who knows?
One thing is for sure - the Taliban is not responsible for this attack. We all know who is - the exact same people who silenced Salim Shehzad. They are also the defenders of the nation. What an irony !!
@Mj:
You will have to clean up the army top brass
How did he come to know about the device? This news is incomplete. It does not tell how the device was noticed under the car?Was this car left with out its driver? Does he drive car himself?This news is incomplete and just create curiosity about the circumstances? Where was this car in the last 24 hrs?
The person who planted the bomb got the wrong address. He was supposed to plant under Hafiz Saeed car and not Hamid Mir's. Good luck to Hamid that he survived. But be careful, you are living in most dangerous country in the world.
Enough is enough. Please start operation "Clean".
May Allah save everyone from harm. Thanks to Allah that Hamid Mir is safe.
Pakistanis are at war with Talibans!
The bold way he is expressing his view point on various programs, many powerful quarters do not like it. This might be an other warning for him and to convince him to remain silent. Now it all depends on him how he digests this threat.
shukar Allah, we need journalist like him. we may disagree to their views but they are valuable.
Hmmm...Interesting,All I can say right now is..'Get well soon Pakistan,Get well soon..'' Nobody is safe here..
I condemn such a cowardly attack on Hamid Mir. They are trying to silent the voice of truth and a brave journalist of Pakistan.
These days every thing is doubtful. Truth and lies have overlapping boundries in Pakistani Media.
New Drama!!
The so called warriors of Islam forget the simple fact that under no circumstance can you kill an innocent person. Hamid Mir is just doing his job of stating the facts on his show. Of course, these primitive self-blasting taliban can't digest someone stating the truth about them. As a Pakistani it saddens me that we've come to a state where a person cannot even say a word about these ciriminals without risking his/her life.
damn you driver !!
This is another low for Pakistan. Says a lot about the kind of country and society we have become. The level of intolerance is reaching new heights.
When he speaks against atrocities of agencies in Balochistan and speaks bluntly against the interest of " Deep State" then he will be termed " Indian, Israeli and American Agent" then consequently he has to brave the " Dire Consequence".
May Allah keep all courageous journalist safe and sound. amen
May Allah keep him safe.. I hope its not our own agencies.
Thank God
I am not a fan of his but no person deserves this. The intellectually inept only know one way to win an argument.
We have had enough of the Taliban. It is time the security agencies, and the army clean up the mess they've created.
Hamid was always a vocal critic of the agencies and how they operated in Balochistan. I guess they want to pay back in the only way they know. Sick !!
ET, always late as usual!!! You need to improve your sources & speed, the news have already been broken by NDTV, News Pakistan, The news International etc. Nevertheless, good escape, Hamid!!