Indeed Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries for the journalists for a reason. Another journalist, Hafeezur Rehman has been shot dead by unidentified people in Kohat. According to police reports, he was on his bike when he was targeted by the gunmen in result he was hit by three bullets and died on the spot.
It was second incident of same nature in which journalist killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year. As usually happened in such cases assailants in both the cases escaped after committing the crime. In most cases powerful people, groups are behind such killings because their wrongdoings are being exposed by the journalist. In Pakistan, journalists are becoming victims of criminal elements, extremists and terrorists.
Few days before international day for journalists marked and it was shocking that Pakistan was declared fifth most dangerous country for the journalists. Government officials and media houses need to work in collaboration for the safety of working journalists. Media houses need to organize workshops to highlight various security measures for the journalists.
A report on safety of Pakistani media professionals presents a bleak picture of level of insecurity faced by journalists and calls for serious efforts by governments and media to change the present situation where those who kill, injure, abduct and threaten journalists are almost never punished. Since 2001, 47 media workers have been murdered, 164 injured, 88 assaulted, 21 abducted and 40 detained. In addition, 24 media professionals died while covering dangerous assignments. Government needs to step up and must change the dire situation. Journalists must be provided suitable environment to carry out their professional duties. Journalists work to highlight social issues and report on the matters of public interest. Therefore, this bad practice of news collectors becoming news themselves must be stopped.
Government officials and media houses need to work in collaboration for the safety of working journalists.