In a country that is high on the list of the most dangerous places for journalists, Saleem Shahzad dared to accuse the Pakistani army of having militant sympathizers within its ranks.
In a report that was later said to be the reason for his disappearance and subsequent murder, Shahzad quoted unnamed officials within the Pakistan navy that claimed there were al Qaeda loyalists within the armed forces. Shahzad was found dead, with visible torture marks on his body, two days after he was kidnapped by unknown persons.
Quote of the year: "Given that Shahzad alleged in his lifetime that he had been threatened by the ISI, and given that we believe that the allegation was credible, the onus is on the ISI to prove that it was not holding him in illegal detention, and that its personnel were not responsible for his death." - Ali Dayan Hasan Human Rights Watch
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