IFJ condemns murder of senior journalist

IFJ condemns murder of senior journalist

Wednesday 11 May 2011

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has urged the Pakistani government to take urgent action to address the killing of journalists, after the targeted murder of senior journalist Nasrullah Afridi in Peshawar.

Mr Afridi was killed on Tuesday night in Peshawar, in northwestern Pakistan, after an explosive device detonated when he entered his vehicle. Mr Afridi, a correspondent for Pakistan Television and the leading Urdu daily Mashriq, also served as president of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ), the Khyber Agency Unit, according to local news reports.

"The IFJ joins journalists and their unions in Pakistan in expressing despair at the government's lamentable failure to make good on its promise to ensure authorities take action to prevent murders of journalists," said IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.

"We demand that the government direct local authorities to fully and promptly investigate the murder of Nasrullah Afridi and the killings of other media personnel. The government must send a clear and urgent message that culprits will be brought to ju=stice," he said.

Mr Afridi, who is survived by his wife and five children, had been reporting from Khyber tribal agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The TUJ reported Afridi was threatened by militant groups because he reported the news without prejudice.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain confirmed Afridi was targeted by militants.