Rana Muhammad Azeem, secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, has received a death threat from a gangster after exposing a mafia network in a recent TV talk-show broadcast on "92 News Channel".
This statement was originally published on ifj.org on 26 March 2021.
Media union leader Rana Muhammad Azeem, secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), received a death threat after exposing a mafia gangster in a television appearance. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Pakistan affiliate to call for an urgent investigation into the threat.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said on March 26 that its Secretary General, Rana Muhammad Azeem, received a death threat from a gangster after exposing a mafia network in a recent TV talk-show broadcast on 92 News Channel. Earlier, the Karachi-based Urdu newspaper “Jang” had published a court notice against Rana Muhammad Azeem on February 28 leveling allegations of criminal conduct against the PFUJ secretary general.
The PFUJ said threats to working journalists had become more common in Pakistan despite repeated protests and activism by journalists. It also accused the Pakistan government of failing to provide security to the journalists.
PFUJ president, GM Jamali, said: “Journalists are duty bound to expose gangsters and other anomalies in the society and authorities have responsibilities to provide security to the journalists. Therefore, authorities in the Punjab province and the Federal government must take action and arrest the gangster in next 24 hours. Otherwise the PFUJ will launch a country-wide protest.”
IFJ said: “The IFJ demands an independent investigation into the case.”
