The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Pakistan Federal
Union of Journalists (PFUJ)strongly condemn
the murder of a journalist in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province on September 29.
Television reporter Abdul
Haq was leaving the Khuzdar Press Club when unknown gunmen opened
fire and killed him instantly, according to reports from the Pakistan Federal Union
of Journalists (PFUJ).
Mr Haq had worked for
ARY TV Channel for the past seven years and was also the General Secretary of
Khuzdar Press Club.
The PFUJ has issued a
statement strongly condemning the killing and demanding an inquiry into the
incident, saying the situation in Balochistan is deplorable, especially in
Khuzdar.
Journalists had been
receiving threats from unknown sources and were being targeted with impunity,
according to the PFUJ.
“We condemn brutal killing
of Abdul Haq in what appears to be a targeted attack, and extend our
condolences to his family and colleagues. We also join the PFUJ in calling for
an immediate investigation into his brutal killing,” IFJ Asia Pacifc Director
Jacqueline Park said.
Haq is survived by
his wife and two sons.
Pakistan is ranked as the world’s most dangerous country to work as a journalist, and at least five
journalists have been killed in Khuzdar alone in the last few years.
There has been an alarming
increase in the targeted killing of journalists in Balochistan in particular, in
recent years.
The PFUJ/IFJ report
on the State of Journalism in Balochistan
Province, released on World Press Freedom Day 2012, is available on the IFJ
website here.
For
further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0918
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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