Targeted for speaking freely: Journalists call for protection of lives
Nov 23 was marked as the International Day to End Impunity.
Targeted attacks: 7 journalists were killed this year. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Freedom Network (FN) organisation has demanded the government punish those involved in the killing and harassment of journalists across the country.
The call was made at the Peshawar Press Club during a seminar to mark International Day to End Impunity organised by FN, an association working for the rights of journalists, in collaboration with the Khyber Union of Journalists. A resolution was also passed calling for protection of journalists.
MPAs, civil society members and journalists from media organisations demanded the establishment of an office of a special prosecutor in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to investigate murder cases, attacks, harassment, intimidation and coercion of journalists and media houses to put an end to the impunity of crimes against media.
FN Executive Director Iqbal Khattak demanded MPAs to consult a journalists’ forum for appointing a special public prosecutor.
Apprising the conference with some statistics, Khattak said 90 journalists have been killed, mostly in targeted attacks, while doing their jobs, whereas, seven journalists were killed in 2013 alone.
Khattak said Pakistan is listed as one of the five most insecure countries across the world for journalists and November 23 should be marked every year to fight all kinds of violence against reporters and media personnel.
“The issue of impunity has compounded the issue of press freedom and it needs to be tackled collectively before journalism dies out,” he added.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl Information Secretary Abdul Jalil Jan seconded the demands made by speakers at the conference. He expressed concerns over the fact that as of yet no judicial inquiry was ordered for investigating the killings of journalists in the country.
“Opposition parties will make a joint resolution in the K-P Assembly, asking for legislation to end such problems for journalists,” stated Qaumi Watan Party MPA Sultan Muhammad Khan.
Awami National Party K-P Assembly Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak said the demand of journalists for prosecution should be taken up in both K-P and national assemblies.
“Some elements want to restrict the voice of intellectuals, thoughts of scholars and target opinion leaders in this region which is affecting the portrayal of a soft and peaceful image of our society,” he lamented.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2013.
The Freedom Network (FN) organisation has demanded the government punish those involved in the killing and harassment of journalists across the country.
The call was made at the Peshawar Press Club during a seminar to mark International Day to End Impunity organised by FN, an association working for the rights of journalists, in collaboration with the Khyber Union of Journalists. A resolution was also passed calling for protection of journalists.
MPAs, civil society members and journalists from media organisations demanded the establishment of an office of a special prosecutor in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to investigate murder cases, attacks, harassment, intimidation and coercion of journalists and media houses to put an end to the impunity of crimes against media.
FN Executive Director Iqbal Khattak demanded MPAs to consult a journalists’ forum for appointing a special public prosecutor.
Apprising the conference with some statistics, Khattak said 90 journalists have been killed, mostly in targeted attacks, while doing their jobs, whereas, seven journalists were killed in 2013 alone.
Khattak said Pakistan is listed as one of the five most insecure countries across the world for journalists and November 23 should be marked every year to fight all kinds of violence against reporters and media personnel.
“The issue of impunity has compounded the issue of press freedom and it needs to be tackled collectively before journalism dies out,” he added.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl Information Secretary Abdul Jalil Jan seconded the demands made by speakers at the conference. He expressed concerns over the fact that as of yet no judicial inquiry was ordered for investigating the killings of journalists in the country.
“Opposition parties will make a joint resolution in the K-P Assembly, asking for legislation to end such problems for journalists,” stated Qaumi Watan Party MPA Sultan Muhammad Khan.
Awami National Party K-P Assembly Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak said the demand of journalists for prosecution should be taken up in both K-P and national assemblies.
“Some elements want to restrict the voice of intellectuals, thoughts of scholars and target opinion leaders in this region which is affecting the portrayal of a soft and peaceful image of our society,” he lamented.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2013.