(PPF/IFEX) – On 5 May 1999, unidentified intruders burnt the car of Imtiaz Alam, a current affairs editor with “The News”, at his residence in Lahore. Alam had been receiving threats from unknown persons in recent months and guards were deployed outside his residence. The intruders moved the car from Alam’s garage onto the road […]
(PPF/IFEX) – On 5 May 1999, unidentified intruders burnt the car of Imtiaz
Alam, a current affairs editor with “The News”, at his residence in Lahore.
Alam had been
receiving threats from unknown persons in recent months and guards were
deployed outside his residence. The intruders moved the car from Alam’s
garage onto the road where they set it on fire while he was asleep. One of
his neighbours saw his car in flames and informed the police. By the time
police reached the location, the car was completely burnt.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 6 May and 5 May 1999**
The guards were removed just a few days ago at Alam’s request. Alam
expressed ignorance about the motives behind the incident and the identity
of the culprits. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFU) and the All
Pakistan Newspapers Photographers Association (APNPA) condemned the incident
and have organised a procession for 7 May to protest attacks on freedom of
press.
According to press reports, Alam frequently writes articles critical of
government policy. Recently, he had been particularly critical of the
“accountability” process in Pakistan, directed by Senator Saifur Rehman. In
another incident, Najam Sethi, the chief editor of “Friday Times”, was
harassed by law enforcement agencies since being interviewed for the
British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC)”Correspondent” programme. According
to press reports, senior government officials had cautioned him for his work
with a BBC team, terming it an attempt to destabilise the country and
overthrow the government. Recent reports on state-controlled television
accused Sethi of unpatriotic behavior and called for him to be held
accountable for his actions. Sethi has also received numerous threatening
phone calls.
Another journalist, Ejaz Haider, a news editor for the “Friday Times”,
received a handwritten, unsigned note warning him to install bulletproof
windows on his car.
Haider said he did not know what prompted this particular attack, but added
that he may have been targeted because he works at Sethi’s “Friday Times”
newspaper.
