Journalists continue to face violence

Report highlights escalating climate of intimidation and harassment for media

ISLAMABAD: While fatal attacks were much lower than at any other time in the past decade, journalists in Pakistan continue to face violence amid a worryingly escalating climate of intimidation and harassment which is affecting freedom of expression and access to information in the country. This was revealed in a report published by media rights watchdog Freedom Network (FN) on Tuesday.

The network, in its annual Press Feedom Barometer 2018 report recorded over 150 cases of attacks and violations against the media and its practitioners, including journalists, in Pakistan from May 1, 2017, to April 1, 2018.

Based on actual events, FN noted that at least 157 cases of attacks and violations were documented in all four provinces of the country, Islamabad and the tribal areas.

“That’s at an average of about 15 cases of violations a month – one every second day,” the report said.

The violations included murder, abductions, kidnappings, physical attacks and injuries, arrests, threats and specific cases of harassment.

The review period saw at least five working journalists killed for their work including ARY News correspondent in Kasur Abdul Razzaq, K-2 Times Bureau Chief in Haripur Bakshish Elahi, Sach TV and Mashriq TV stringer in Swabi Haroon Khan, Urdu daily Qaumi Pukaar sub-editor in Rawalpindi Anjum Muneer Raja, and Urdu daily Nawa-e-Waqt correspondent in Sambrial Zeeshan Ashraf Butt.



Shockingly enough, FN report added that around 35 per cent of the cases, or 55 of 157 cases documented, were recorded in the federal capital, making it the most dangerous place to practice journalism in the country.

Television was the most targeted medium with 85 cases recorded against journalists associated with it compared to print, radio and internet.

After Islamabad, other areas found dangerous for journalists were Punjab with the second worst record of 17 per cent of the violations, 26 cases. It was closely followed by Sindh at 16 per cent — 25 cases, Balochistan at 14 per cent — 22 cases, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 10 per cent — 16 cases.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) had the least number of violations at eight per cent of the total, with just 13 of 157 cases.

“These increased incidents of attacks on the media in Pakistan are a major cause of concern, after a major improvement in law and order situation,” said FN’s Executive Director Iqbal Khattak.

“Return of relative peace and reduction in overall violence could have meant more freedom for journalists to freely do their jobs, but ironically this has not been the case. This is also alarming since the country has a dismal record of persecuting media predators,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2018.