Justice delayed: Journalist’s family remembers him at first death anniversary

Shan Dahar was killed allegedly by gangsters in Larkana, motive still unknown.

KARACHI: As the world celebrates the advent of the new year, the family members of journalist Shan Dahar are still trying to come to terms with his death at the hands of alleged gangsters on the same night, last year.

For Dahar's children, New Year festivities have been permanently marred for the rest of their lives. "On New Year's eve last year, when people were celebrating new beginnings, our lives ended when we received the body of my father," said his 11-year-old daughter, Aliya, who has still not recovered from the incident.



Despite tall claims by the government and the journalist fraternity, the family is still running from pillar to post for the sake of justice. The death of Shah Dahar, 45, who was working as the bureau chief of Abb Takk TV in Larkana region remains a mystery. "It is a murder case. He was killed in a targeted assault, but this case is also facing the same fate as other high profile murder cases in the country," said Saddaruddin Mashori, the president of Badah Press Club.

"Shan had exposed the suspects who had stolen rare antiques from Moen Jo Daro," recalled Mashori. Before he succumbed to his wounds, Dahar had recorded a statement before the police in which he had pointed out the suspects who had shot him. "The police, however, released all nine suspects and have now disposed of the case," he said.

Dependants' lives

Shan was the only son of his parents and his daughters are now living with their grandmother. No one is willing to help them.Some ministers had gone to condole with the family.  The chief minister had announced Rs0.5 million in compensation for the victim's family while the Sindh Education Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had promised to bear all education expenses of his two daughters. Not a single penny has been provided to the family so far.

"It was just a photo session. We have received nothing except for condemnations," said Roshan Bhutto, Dahar's brother-in-law.

Meanwhile, Larkana DIG Sain Rakhio Mirani told The Express Tribune that: "Dahar was hit by a stray bullet during the New Year's celebrations which is why the police released the suspects and disposed of the case."

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has termed 2014 as the worst year for journalists in Pakistan. The statement issued by the PFUJ said that around 14 journalists have been killed, but not a single culprit has been arrested so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2014.