Pakistan maintains top spot for journalist deaths
Eight journalists were murdered in 2011 with 44 journalists losing their lives world wide.
Pakistan continues to witness a deadly trend of fatal violence against journalists as it yet again leads a violent year for journalists, states a new report.
Second only to Iraq, of the 44 journalists who were killed this year, eight of them died in Pakistan, according to a list maintained by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN IFRA).
Last year Pakistan had lost 10 journalists. 2010, when 99 journalists were killed, Mexico shared the podium spot with Pakistan.
(Read: Pakistan 10th on list of deadliest places for journalists: Report)
The trend is more worrisome given the lack of accountability and justice for journalists. Among the cases this year include the torture and murder of Asia Times bureau chief, Saleem Shehzad for his reporting on the Taliban and the assassination of Wali Khan Babar along with a host of other names belonging to smaller publications.
(Read: UN urges Pakistan to probe journalist killings)
In fact, experience is not a criterion set by those who murder journalists in Pakistan. In June, a trainee reporter attached with The News Peshawar Daily was killed.
The list, which has been maintained since 1998, depicts a worrying trend in Pakistan for journalists. From no casualties in 1998, the deaths have jumped to 10 and eight for the past two years. Even in 2006, the bloodiest year for journalists for the last decade, Pakistan lost only four journalists in comparison with Iraq, which had lost a staggering 45.
Timeline of journalists killed in Pakistan (2011)
January 3
Ilyas Nizzar, reporter, Darwanth newsmagazine
January 13
Wali Khan Babar, reporter, Geo TV
February 18
Abdost Rind, report, Daily Eagle
May 10
Nasrullah Afridi, journalist, Mashriq daily
May 31
Syed Saleem Shahzad, bureau chief, Asia Times Online
June 11
Asfandyar Abid Naveed, reporter, Akhbar-i-Khyber daily
June 11
Shafiullah Khan, trainee reporter, The News Peshawar Daily
August 14
Muneer Shakir, journalist and correspondent, Online News Network and Sabzbaat TV
Second only to Iraq, of the 44 journalists who were killed this year, eight of them died in Pakistan, according to a list maintained by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN IFRA).
Last year Pakistan had lost 10 journalists. 2010, when 99 journalists were killed, Mexico shared the podium spot with Pakistan.
(Read: Pakistan 10th on list of deadliest places for journalists: Report)
The trend is more worrisome given the lack of accountability and justice for journalists. Among the cases this year include the torture and murder of Asia Times bureau chief, Saleem Shehzad for his reporting on the Taliban and the assassination of Wali Khan Babar along with a host of other names belonging to smaller publications.
(Read: UN urges Pakistan to probe journalist killings)
In fact, experience is not a criterion set by those who murder journalists in Pakistan. In June, a trainee reporter attached with The News Peshawar Daily was killed.
The list, which has been maintained since 1998, depicts a worrying trend in Pakistan for journalists. From no casualties in 1998, the deaths have jumped to 10 and eight for the past two years. Even in 2006, the bloodiest year for journalists for the last decade, Pakistan lost only four journalists in comparison with Iraq, which had lost a staggering 45.
Timeline of journalists killed in Pakistan (2011)
January 3
Ilyas Nizzar, reporter, Darwanth newsmagazine
January 13
Wali Khan Babar, reporter, Geo TV
February 18
Abdost Rind, report, Daily Eagle
May 10
Nasrullah Afridi, journalist, Mashriq daily
May 31
Syed Saleem Shahzad, bureau chief, Asia Times Online
June 11
Asfandyar Abid Naveed, reporter, Akhbar-i-Khyber daily
June 11
Shafiullah Khan, trainee reporter, The News Peshawar Daily
August 14
Muneer Shakir, journalist and correspondent, Online News Network and Sabzbaat TV