The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) has condemned the killing of two journalists in a double-bomb attack in
the town of Dera Ismail Khan, north west of Pakistan. Mohammad Imran and Saleem
Tahir Awan of local dailies the Eitedal and Apna Akhbar were
among the five killed in the explosion. A further 25 people were injured.
The incident occurred on January 4, reports
the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), an IFJ-affiliate, who said a
suicide bomber struck when the area had been cordoned off by the police and
forensic experts were collecting evidence after an earlier blast.
The IFJ says terrorist strikes in recent
times have often used the tactic of setting off one explosion and waiting for a
crowd to gather before launching the more lethal attack. It is this moment -
when journalists are rushing to cover a terror blast - which can be the most dangerous for
reporters and humanitarian workers who are drawn to the scene of violent attacks.
"While mourning the death of our colleagues,
we urge media organisations in Pakistan
to pay particular attention to protection needs of journalists in
terrorism-affected areas," said IFJ General Secretary, Aidan
White. "It is clear that these ruthless terrorists are
deliberately drawing innocent civilians including journalists into the line of
fire."
The IFJ and the PFUJ recently collaborated in
a series of safety awareness workshops for journalists in different parts of Pakistan.
"This latest incident shows that we need to
redouble our efforts to ensure that basic safety training is available for
journalists in all parts of the country," added White.
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific
on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ
represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries