(IFJ/IFEX) – In a 13 January 2003 letter to the president and chief executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, the IFJ expressed its deep concern about the recent spate of violent attacks against journalists in Pakistan. According to the IFJ’s information, the most recent attack occurred in Faisalabad on 26 December 2002. Several armed men […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – In a 13 January 2003 letter to the president and chief executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, the IFJ expressed its deep concern about the recent spate of violent attacks against journalists in Pakistan.
According to the IFJ’s information, the most recent attack occurred in Faisalabad on 26 December 2002. Several armed men kidnapped local journalist Muhammad Rashid Qamar, a reporter with “Daily Pakistan”. Qamar was shot six times and left for dead in a deserted area at Jhang Road. He remains in critical condition in hospital.
This was the second incident involving attacks on journalists in Faisalabad. Shahid Soomro, a journalist with the daily newspaper “Kawish”, was murdered on 20 October 2002. According to the IFJ’s information, Soomro was shot outside his home while resisting a kidnapping attempt by five armed men. He died from his injuries en route to hospital. It is believed that his killing was revenge for his reporting of the recently concluded election campaign. No one has been arrested for the murder to date.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– condemning the attack on Qamar and Soomro’s murder
– urging him to mount a full investigation into the attacks on Qamar and Soomro and bring their attackers to justice
– asking that he take all appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all journalists working in Pakistan
– expressing great concern at what appears to be a pattern of intimidation and attacks on journalists
– noting that attacks on journalists and the media are one of the worst forms of attacking press freedom and civil society
– adding that there is no more serious form of censorship than violence
Appeals To
General Pervez Musharraf
President and Chief Executive of Pakistan
E-mail: CE@pak.gov.pk
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
