(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern further to the recent attempted murder of two Afghan journalists. According to RSF’s information, on 2 October 1998, Abdul Hafiz Hamid Azizi, an Afghan journalist based in Peshawar (northern Pakistan) and working for the bilingual (Pashto and Darri) daily “Sahaar” and the Pashto-language newspaper “Wahdat”, was shot by two […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern further to the recent attempted
murder of two Afghan journalists. According to RSF’s information, on 2
October 1998, Abdul Hafiz Hamid Azizi, an Afghan journalist based in
Peshawar (northern Pakistan) and working for the bilingual (Pashto and
Darri) daily “Sahaar” and the Pashto-language newspaper “Wahdat”, was shot
by two unidentified men with Afghan features. He was on his way home to
Afghan Colony, a central residential district. According to the journalist,
the attack is connected with the publication of articles, following which he
first received anonymous threatening messages. “After sending me letters,
they are bent upon teaching me a lesson,” Azizi declared, pointing out that
these threats probably came from the Taleban who study in the area. He is
currently in hiding and has sent his family to live in another house. The
journalist, whose only income is from his profession, is in a precarious
financial situation.
**New case and update to IFEX alert of 13 October 1998**
On 6 October, Najeeda Sara Bibi, 35, an Afghan journalist employed by the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service as part-time resource
person for a Pashto-Persian program called “Educational Drama”, was also
shot at by unidentified men as she was going to a local market in Peshawar.
She was not hurt. The journalist, who works on children’s and women’s
programmes for Radio Pakistan and used to work for the daily “Hewad”, has
received threats several times since she was stopped by six persons who
asked her to give up her job three months ago. A letter she received on 25
September was written on the letterhead of the Afghan interior ministry,
while another dated 4 October was signed by Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar Mukhlis,
reported to be the chief of the Taleban intelligence agency. Currently she
is under police protection.
RSF is extremely worried by these two attempted murders. Its seems that
exiled Afghan journalists living in northern Pakistan are prime targets for
fundamentalists, in particular the Taleban militia.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Prime Minister:
by the police should they be attacked or receive death threats
shootings of Abdul Hafiz Hamid Azizi and Najeeda Sara Bibi
Appeals To
His Excellency Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Office of the Prime Minister
Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Fax: +92 51 828 742/92 51 821 574
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
