Journalist’s murder

Another Pakistani journalist has fallen in the line of duty. Aziz Memon was associated with a Sindhi-language television channel and newspaper, and reportedly suffered the consequences of his bold reporting. His body was found floating in an irrigation canal in district Naushero Feroz of Sindh province. Like many other news reporters, Memon was not new to threats of dire consequences. The 56-year-old journalist had had too many during his 30-year-long professional career. Of late, he is said to have been receiving threats from some political personality due to which he had left his hometown in Sindh and moved to Islamabad for some time. But once back, Memon had to pay the price of his professional obligation with his death.

The impunity with which journalists are killed in Pakistan is one of the highest in the world. Including Memon, a total of 34 journalists have been killed in the country during the past six years, according to the Freedom Network, a Pakistan-based media and development sector watchdog. Over these killings, 32 FIRs were lodged, but only 20 cases went to the courts for trial and just six completed the prosecution and trial process. While just one of all these cases culminated into conviction, the killer got his conviction overturned at the appeal stage after which the family of the slain journalist gave up. And this literally means no conviction at all.

Memon’s murder, meanwhile, also reverberated in the National Assembly. Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take a suo motu notice of the murder, noting that prior to his death, the murdered journalist had made allegations against the ruling party in Sindh. The Parliamentary Reporters Association has also called for a JIT to probe the gruesome murder and present its report within two weeks — a demand backed by members of the PTI-led ruling coalition. The authorities must ensure justice for journalists.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2020.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.