In two separate incidents on June 5th, one journalist was abducted and another beaten
LAHORE: In two separate incidents on June 5th, a print journalist was abducted near her residence whereas another broadcast journalist was beaten and left injured by unidentified men. Unsurprisingly, both the journalists were vocal and critical of the government. Yet, circumstances still give the benefit of doubt as to who is possibly involved.
Regardless of who did what, why and how, the incidents reiterate the image that Pakistan has lately developed as a country which is highly unsafe for journalists and for people associated with the press, further supported by its poor rankings on indexes indicating the freedom of the institution of media.
Unfortunately, attempts to silence and curb the powers of media have for a long time strained its relation with the government, not just under the military rules but often in democratic regimes as well.
Sana Amin Jan
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2018.
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