Journalist shot dead in Balochistan, Pakistan

Pakistan - Media Safety

Journalist shot dead in Balochistan, Pakistan

Source : Rural Media Network Pakistan 14.08.2011

Original headline: Journalist Munir Shakar Shot dead in Khuzdar, Balochistan

Journalist Munir Shakar was shot dead in Khuzdar, Balochistan, on the eve of Pakistan Independence Day, 14th August at 12.20 PM.
Slain Munir Shakar was a correspondent for the Online News Network and Balochi TV Sabzbagh. As per details he was gong to home from Khuzdar Press Club, when unknown persons opened fire on him.
He was immediately taken to District Headquarters Hospital Khuzdar where he succumbed to injuries. It has been learnt that slain journalist had not received any threats. He was in early 30s and had been a journalist for the last eight years.
It may be recalled that earlier President Press Club Khuzdar Faiz Mohamma Khan Sasoli was killed on June 27, 2010 last year. He was correspondent of Daily Aaj Kal.
Munir Shakar is thirteenth journalist who had been killed in Pakistan this year according to Rural Media Network monitoring.
Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) President Easa Tareen condemned the incident. He said this was not the first incident in Balochistan, as many journalists had been threatened, attacked, injured and even killed in the past. He said this was a continuing trend and none of the culprits had ever been arrested nor responsibility fixed on any group or person. He said the provincial government had been informed repeatedly about the threats being faced by the journalists but so far no step has been taken by it for the protection of media persons.
Mr Tareen termed it a conspiracy against journalists and demanded the government to unveil the conspiracy and expose the perpetrators of the crime. He said journalists in various districts of Balochistan were providing information and reporting without any salary and on top of it were being threatened by various elements. He said due to the insecure situation prevailing in the province many journalists have been compelled to leave the profession. He stressed on the government to take notice of the killing and take concrete steps to provide security to them as this was giving a bad name to Pakistan in the international community.