On key day for journalists, Pakistan grapples with unresolved murders

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 2 : As the world celebrates November 2 as International Day to end impurity for crimes against Journalists, Pakistan faces a stark reminder of its own challenges in protecting media professionals, Dawn News reported on Thursday.

It reported that on August 13, Jan Muhammad Mahar was shot dead soon after leaving his office at the Kawish Television Network (KTN) in Sukkur where he was the bureau chief. Less than a week earlier, another journalist, Ghulam Asghar Khand, was shot at least nine times while on his way home in Khairpur.

The Pakistan-based news daily reported that both incidents were followed by protests in their respective areas, besides receiving prominent coverage in the mainstream media. In Mahar's case, two joint investigation teams were also formed to investigate the brazen killing.

Within a few hours, however, investigators ruled in both cases that the murders were carried out over personal enmity and had nothing to do with journalism.

Dawn News reported, before long, the protests too petered out and the two joint investigation teams (JITs) that were formed over Mahar's murder failed to even convene.

According to one senior journalist, media professionals, particularly in small towns, are sometimes targeted because of the prestige and influence that comes with the profession. Other times, they are targeted simply because of their work, Dawn News reported.

In the cases of Mahar and Khand, the majority of local journalists and even police officials are convinced that someone wanted them dead and hired hitmen to do the deed. In other cases, the motive is much clearer, but the investigation gets murky.

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