Media Release: Pakistan                                                                                                                                              

January 11, 2013

The International

Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union

of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the twin blasts in Quetta on

January 10, 2013 and mourning the death of two journalists who were killed in

the second blast as they rushed to cover the story.

The blasts took place

on Alamdar Road in Quetta at a snooker club killing 42 people, including Imran

Shaikh, cameraman with Samaa TV, and Mohammad Iqbal, photographer at NNI. Mohammad

Hasan, photographer with INP and Saifur Rehman, a senior reporter with Samaa

TV, were seriously injured.

The journalists had rushed

to the site of the first blast in the snooker club when the second blast took

place.

In a statement, PFUJ

President Pervaiz Shaukat said the ongoing violence in Balochistan was a matter

of serious concern. Journalists are particularly at risk and a number of

journalists and media persons have already lost their lives in the province.

"We have

particularly been focussing on training journalists in performing their duties

during blasts. The aim of our trainings has always been how to report and cover

disasters, blasts and conflicts," Mr Shaukat said. Mr Shaukat sent

his condolences to the families of the journalists and called upon the

provincial government to take appropriate measures to arrest those responsible.

PFUJ

Secretary-General Amin Yousuf also condemned the twin blasts. "We

will not tolerate government's continued apathy to the loss of precious lives.

We demand immediate protection of journalists," he added. It was also

announced that there will be a countrywide protest against the killings on

January 12, 2013.

He also regretted the

trend where TV channels do not name the media organisations to which the killed

journalists belong, and asked the Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) to

take stock of the situation. 

Journalists from the

Balochistan province face violence and threats from ethnic, sectarian and

separatist groups as well as from security forces and intelligence agencies.

According to the figures compiled by the Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP),

twenty six journalists have been killed in the Balochistan province during last

five years. 

“This latest tragedy draws attention to

the serious dangers journalists in Pakistan face.” said IFJ Director Jacqueline

Park. We

join the PFUJ in calling on the provincial and national governments to take

immediate action to protect the lives of journalists.”

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 +61 2 9333 0950 

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131

countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

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