Another journalist’s murder in Sindh sparks outcry

Gadani known for outspoken stance against local fuedals, powerful individuals

Journalist Nasrullah Gadani, a reporter at the Sindhi language newspaper Awami Awaz, succumbed to his injuries on Friday after unidentified assailants on a motorbike shot him near the town of Mirpur Mathelo in Ghotki district.

Before the attack, a video of Gadani filming a convoy of a local influential travelling with police protocol went viral. Reports from Ghotki revealed that the reporter, known for his outspoken stance against local feudals and powerful individuals, had been facing threats to his life.

Gadani was initially referred to Mirpur Mathelo and Rahim Yar Khan hospitals and was then shifted to Aga Khan Hospital in an Edhi air ambulance on Wednesday. 

"He was brought to Aga Khan Hospital with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. Despite efforts to save his life, he succumbed to his injuries," the hospital spokesperson told The Express Tribune.

The death of Gadani lead to widespread condemnation from journalists, political activists, and members of the civil society.

The slogan 'Bhotar my foot' (feudal under my foot) imprinted on the slain journalist's motorbike's number plate became the top trend on social media.

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Following Gadani's death, the journalist community in Sindh called for protests across various districts, demanding the arrest of his killers.

According to multiple sources, the police have detained several suspects from Ghotki district. However, their identities have not been revealed yet.

In separate statements, the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), human rights activists, and political party leaders called upon the IGP and the chief minister to register an FIR and take decisive action against the actual perpetrators, regardless of their influence and political standing in the area.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that over 64 journalists have lost their lives since 1992, positioning the country as the 11th most perilous for journalists. This grim reality was underscored when unidentified assailants on a motorbike inflicted severe injuries on a journalist near Mirpur Mathelo town in the Ghotki district.

Over the past four years, more than 13 journalists have lost their lives in Sindh. Among them was Jan Mohammad Mahar from the Sindhi news channel Kawish Television Network, whose daytime murder in Sukkur remains unsolved, underscoring the ineffectiveness of law enforcement agencies.

Similarly, the police have failed to unearth motives behind the murders of Ghulam Asghar Khund and Sagheer Ahmad Laar, who were killed in Khairpur and Khanpur respectively.

Earlier this month, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) expressed concerns over escalating violence against journalists and increasing attempts to stifle press freedom in the country.

The council highlighted that despite the guarantee of freedom of expression under Article 19 of the constitution, the journalists frequently face abduction or arrest.