ISLAMABAD : The last seven years in Pakistan – from 2000 to 2006 – have seen murders of 19 journalists but only in few cases the accused were prosecuted by the government and in one case only, sentenced by the court. The dead include three staff members of a newspaper killed in a bomb attack in Karachi .

Statistics compiled by Intermedia, a Pakistani media development NGO, from published reports show that of the 19 journalists killed during the seven years, five died in the restive tribal areas adjacent to Afghanistan .

Other statistics also point to an alarming trend of increasing incidents of violence against media during the last seven years as 68 journalists were abducted, arrested or detained; 81 were tortured or injured; 114 were threatened or intimidated; and there were a total of 36 reported incidents of attacks on media property. In all these incidents police, intelligence agencies, army, political and religious parties, militant organizations and individuals were reportedly involved directly or indirectly. As per interviews of the victim's family members, lawyers, and police officials, many of these cases, having been reported to police, are yet to be investigated into and prosecuted till date. In one case of murder of a foreign journalist, Daniel Pearl, the accused have been prosecuted and convicted by the court.

The year 2005 was the bloodiest for Pakistani journalists as it saw deaths of five journalists followed by 4 in the year 2006. There has been a dramatic rise in the incidents of violence against media in the last one year, from 47 in 2005 to 130 in 2006. This may also reflect an increased number of published reports if not the incidents of violence.

Updated information gathered by Intermedia on each murder case based on published reports, interviews of victim's friends, family members, lawyers, and police officials reveal a distinct lack of justice to the victims heirs through abandonment of the investigations and even harassment and intimidation of the heirs.

Killed in the line of duty

A total of five journalists were killed in tribal areas alone from 2000 to 2006 and not a single perpetrator has been arrested, prosecuted or convicted. The dead tribal journalists include; Hayatullah Khan, AFP; Amir Nawab Khan, APTN; Allah Noor Wazir, Khyber TV; Ubaidullah Azhar, Online news agency; and Nasir Afridi, Khabrain.

In tribal areas the controversial Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) is frequently invoked against media but when media persons are killed it is never invoked against suspect assassins. When some government employee is killed in tribal areas Territorial Responsibility Laws (under FCR) are invoked to give collective punishment to the tribe in whose area the murder takes place, especially if the tribe does not present the assassin to authorities within a given time period. Even this provision has not been invoked by Pakistani authorities in case of murders of journalists. Tribal areas have become killing fields for journalists.

Pakistani apex court recently declared that the country's courts have no jurisdiction in tribal areas, where recently 80 people were bombed to death in an aerial attack by government which accused the dead of indulging in terrorist trainings. Interestingly, the killing of Hayatullah Khan of South Waziristan tribal area had lead to constitution of a judicial tribunal by the government headed by chief justice of Peshawar High Court, whose findings, though complete, are not being made public.

Other journalists killed during the last seven years and their case status is as follows:

Muhammad Ismail Malik, PPI

In November 2006, Islamabad-based, Muhammad Ismail Malik, the Pakistan Press International (PPI) Resident Editor, was found dead in a roadside jungle, near a busy super market of the federal capital. Police registered an FIR against unknown persons. After noisy protests by journalists, police came up with an accused allegedly tutored to confess to “revenge- killing” and make embarrassing allegations pertaining to moral conduct of the victim. Officials admit that such confessions made before the police are not admissible in the court of law and in the absence of additional evidence, like medical check up of the accused, he may even be acquitted. The journalists' community and family members of the victim are shocked, embarrassed and apparently silenced by this tactics of administration. In these circumstances, the real culprits may go scot-free and the real motives may never be known. One accused and a co-accused have now been sent to jail by a court order pending a trial.

Maqbool Siyal (Online news service), Dera Ismail Khan

In September 2006, Dera Ismail Khan-based Maqbool Siyal of Online news wire service was murdered by unknown people. D.I Khan Police Station, City registered an FIR but having failed to investigate the murder it has not moved the court so far. The investigation is currently closed and no suspects have been arrested. The Chief Minister, Punjab and leader of opposition in the National Assembly granted Rs. 300,000/- (Three Hundred Thousand) as compensation to the victim's family. Federal Information Minister, Akram Durrani has announced compensation of Rs. 200,000/- (Two Hundred Thousand rupees), which is yet to materialize.

Munir Sangi, a photographer of daily Kawish, Larkana, Sindh

In May 2006, Munir Sangi, a photographer of daily Kawish, Larkana, Sindh, was killed in a cross fire between two battling tribes of Sindh province. 15 other people had died in that clash. He was filming the gun battle. Munir Sangi, 28, a photo-journalist working for Daily Kawish in Larkana, was murdered in outskirts of Larkana city on May 29, 2006. FIR was registered with Taluka Thana, Larkana, and two persons – Abdul Karim and Mullah Madaho – were arrested. Presently the case is in Additional Session Court in Larkana and the judge has ordered a judicial inquiry into the murder. During his recent visit to Larkana on December 9, 2007, Sindh Chief Minister presented a cheque to three hundred thousand rupees (Rs300,00/-) to the widow of the deceased.

Mian Khalid Mahmood, Daily Inqilab

In the murder, in December 2005, of Lala-Musa-based Mian Khalid Mahmood, former president of Lala Musa Press Club, police has registered an FIR against unknown people. Police Station, City, Lala Musa has closed its investigations and no arrests have so far been made, hence the case is yet to reach the court. The victims family and police is said to be under tremendous pressure from local influential, including those from neighboring Gujrat city. The victim is survived by a widow and two daughters of the age of 3 and 2. No compensation has been given to the victim's family.

Sajid Tanoli, Daily Shumal, Abbottabad

In the murder, in 2004, of Mansehra-based Sajid Tanoli, of Daily Shumal, Abbottabad, Police is reluctant to arrest the accused, Khalid Khan who is Nazim of Mansehra City – 2 and who is now an absconder. The case continues to be tried by Session Court Mansehra. No compensation has been granted by the government to the victim.

Amir Bux Brohi, Kawish Television Network (KTN)

Amir Bux Brohi, correspondent of daily Kawish was murdered in Shikarpur on September 2, 2003. The murder FIR was registered in Lakhi Dar police station and five persons – Shahnawaz Brohi, Zulfikar, Ghulam Nabi, Waheed and one unidentified -- were nominated as killers of Brohi. Four of them were arrested, however two – Shahnawaz and Zulfikar – bailed out while two others are still under arrest and one is at large. The case has been pending in the ATC-II Sukkur since then. There was no compensation given by the government while Brohi's family has left Shikarpur and is on the run after threats by the accused persons. Brohi's lawyer Nizam Baloch said that his father – Haji Elahi Bux – is not in his contact and is reportedly gone to Karachi or Hyderabad after threats by the accused persons and their families.

Daniel Pearl (Wall Street Journal), 2002, Karachi (Sindh)

Daniel Pearl disappeared from Karachi apparently trying to interview leaders of radical Islamic groups. His beheaded body was later found out. Four persons were arrested and prosecuted in the case, one of them Sheikh Ahmed Omer Saeed, who was sentenced to death by the trial court while his three accomplices were sentenced to jail for life. The death attracted world-wide attention including that of US President George Bush and Pakistan 's President Musharraf. The convicted persons have appealed before Sindh High Court, Karachi against their conviction, whereas the government has sought death penalty for the three persons sentenced to jail for life.

Jaffar Khan, Daily Pakistan

In 2002, Head-Marala (near Sialkot)-based journalist Jaffar Khan working for Urdu language daily newspaper, Pakistan, was target murdered by a 15-member police party led by police inspector, Rana Basharat at his house under the pretext of raiding a hideout of dacoits. Victim's wife was injured in the attack. During three years of the trial before the session court, the accused inspector and his colleagues remained in jail and afterwards reached an out-of-court settlement with heirs of the murdered journalists through a payment of about Rs30,00,000/- (Three million rupees). The compromise was reached in a Jirga like setting comprising police officials, elders, lawyers and victim's family. The session court disposed of the case after the compromise.   

Shahid Soomro, Daily Kawish

Shahid Soomro, correspondent of daily Kawish in Kandhkot, was murdered on October 20, 2002. Three persons were nominated in FIR that was lodged with Kandhkot police station. However the families of the victim and accused settled the case and the accused family, according to a decision by tribal jirga, paid compensation of 1.6 million to the victim's family after which the case was withdrawn from the court. The victim's family was also given three hundred thousand rupees by the government of Sindh. The victim is survived by two sons and 3 daughters, all below 14 years.

Rana Akram, daily Pakistan, Lahore

In 2001, at Daska, Punjab-based, Rana Akram, working for Urdu language daily Pakistan , Lahore got killed as he wrestled with a terrorist outside his office and a grenade exploded. Police Station City , Daska, closed the case within three months by declaring the killed terrorist as unidentifiable. Two surviving sons and two daughters of the dead journalist could not pursue the case that has now been closed.

Najmul Hasan, Ziaul Haq, Sajid Mehmood (Nawa-e-Waqt), Karachi

The Karachi office of the national Urdu-language daily Nawa-e-Waqt was hit by a bomb attack in November 2000.  Three of the paper's employees died from injuries sustained in the blast: Najmul Hasan Zaidi, the newspaper's advertising manager; Ziaul Haq, assistant circulation manager; and Sajid Mehmood, a computer operator. The Soldier Bazaar police station officials arrested an accused, who confessed and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the session court. The decision was overruled by the Sindh High Court and accused was acquitted for lack of evidence. The decision has not been appealed against before the apex court by the government due to lack of evidence. Under the law police can reopen the case with fresh evidence and a different accused, something which has not been since the acquittal of previous accused two years ago.

Sofi Muhammad Khan of Daily Ummat, Karachi

All four accused arrested in murder, in May 2000, for the murder of the Thar based Sofi Muhammad Khan of Daily Ummat, Karachi , were acquitted by the session court after four years of trial, for lack of evidence. The appeal against his acquittal is pending before Sindh High Court, Hyderabad Bench since early 2005, and having been admitted, it is yet to be finally decided since then.

This report is also available on intermedia.org.pk

For further queries, contact Matiullah Jan on 0300-5278569