(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned by the death threats received by a Pakistani journalist. **For other cases involving Taliban forces see IFEX alerts of 15 September, 11 September and 11 August 1998** According to RSF’s information, Iftikhar Mushwani, a journalist with the Urdu daily “Pakistan,” based in Islamabad, said that he was threatened by the […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned by the death threats received by a
Pakistani
journalist.
**For other cases involving Taliban forces see IFEX alerts of 15
September,
11 September and 11 August 1998**
According to RSF’s information, Iftikhar Mushwani, a journalist with the
Urdu daily “Pakistan,” based in Islamabad, said that he was threatened
by
the ambassador of the Taliban government, Maulvi Saeedur Rehman Haqqani.
The
journalist declared that after he published a report about a meeting
between
the Taliban ambassador with the US ambassador in Pakistan, he had
received
threats that his home would be blown up and his family killed.
Since September 1998, at least four journalists, exiled Afghans or
Pakistanis, have received death threats or been targets of attempted
murder,
probably by people who have links with the Taliban or fundamentalist
religious parties. One of the journalists had to flee from his country
last
January because he feared for his life.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Prime Minister:
violent action against Mushwani
brought to
court and that the threatened journalists are protected by the police
and
can do their work without fearing for their lives
Appeals To
His Excellency Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Office of the Prime Minister
Islamabad, Pakistan
Fax: + 92 51 920 5532
E-mail: primeminister@pak.gov.pk
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
