IFJ Shocked as Another Journalist is Murdered in Pakistan

 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates are shocked at the brutal murder of Tariq Kamal, a reporter with a Sindhi language daily published in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi. Reported missing on May 7, along with a friend who runs a small business in Karachi, Tariq Kamal reportedly had his last telephone conversation with his family the following day. His body, bearing multiple bullet wounds and marks of torture, was found along with his friend’s on May 9.

 

Kamal’s family reports that he had left Karachi for another town in Sindh province on May 3 to follow up what he described as an “exclusive” news story. He was reported missing after his family failed to establish telephonic contact for well over 24 hours.

 

During his last telephone conversation with his family, Kamal reportedly said that his ‘hours were numbered’ and that he was soon going to be killed on the orders of a “sardar”, a traditional clan chieftain, in the Sindh area.

 

Other reports indicate that Kamal’s abductors called his family using his cell phone to inform them of their decision to kill him on charges of being a police informer.

 

“We are shocked at the continuing toll of life that endemic conflict is claiming among Pakistan’s journalists”, said the IFJ Asia Pacific.

 

“All available reports indicate that Kamal was engaged in legitimate news gathering activity when he was abducted and later killed”.

 

“The one-year anniversary of the brutal killing of investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad is just two weeks away, and Kamal is the eighth journalist to suffer a violent death in this period of time”.

 

“Media managements, security agencies and the political authorities all need to take note of this wholly unacceptable deterioration in the security environment for journalists and take immediate, credible measures to reverse it”.

 

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0950

 

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

 

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

 

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