Terrorist attacks Journalists in Pakistan

Date

Place / District

Incidents

Karachi / Sindh

Mohammad Salahuddin, editor of the Urdu weekly, Takbeer, was shot and killed outside his office in Karachi. In his editorials, he was very critical of the MQM, a Karachi-based party supported by many Muslim migrants from India.

Karachi / Sindh

Mohammad Samdani Warsi, business manager of the Urdu-language daily Parcham, was shot and killed by unidentified assailants at the newspaper's office. The assailants were looking for Parcham's editor but turned on Samdani when they failed to find their original target. The paper's editorial policy supported the MQM.

Lahore / Punjab

Z.A. Shahid, news photographer of daily Khabrain was killed when a bomb exploded outside the Sessions Court premises in Lahore on January 17. The bombing targeted leaders of the SSP who were being brought from jail to a hearing. At least 19 people were killed and more than 80 injured. Five of the injured were journalists.

Gadap / Karachi / Sindh

Daniel Pearl was an American journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal who was abducted and killed by al Qaeda at Gadap, about 30 miles north of Karachi.

Manglawar Bazaar / Mingora / Swat / KP

Fazal Wahab, a freelance writer, was shot and killed by unidentified militants while he was sitting in a roadside shop in Manglawar Bazaar of Mingora in Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Satellite Town / Quetta / Bolochistan

Two journalists and seven police personnel are injured in three bomb blasts in the Satellite Town area of Quetta.

Wana / South Waziristan Agency / FATA

Amir Nowab, a freelance cameraman for Associated Press Television News and a reporter for the Frontier Post newspaper, and Allah Noor, who was working for Peshawar-based Khyber TV, were killed by unidenfied militants in Wana of South Waziristan Agency of FATA. The journalists were on their way back from the town of Sararogha, where they were covering the suspected surrender of TTP ‘chief’ Baitullah Mehsud. Two other journalists were also injured. A group calling itself Sipah-e-Islam (Soldiers of Islam) claims responsibility.

Miranshah / North Waziristan Agency / FATA

Hayatullah Khan’s body was found by villagers in the North Waziristan town of Miranshah, where he had been kidnapped six months earlier on December 5, 2005. Khan, who was also a reporter for the Urdu-language daily Ausaf, had received numerous prior threats from Pakistani Security Forces, militants, and local tribesmen because of his reporting.

Hangu / KP

Unidentified assailants behead an Afghan journalist, Anwar Saleh in the Hangu town.

Charsadda / KP

Mehboob Khan, a freelance journalist, was killed in a suicide bomb attack aimed at Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao. The minister escaped with minor injuries, but 28 people died in the attack at a political rally in Charsadda town of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Three other journalists were also injured. 

Bajaur Agency / FATA

Noor Hakim Khan, a correspondent for the Daily Pakistan and a vice president of the Tribal Union of Journalists, was one of five people killed by a roadside bomb in the Bajaur Agency of FATA.

Islamabad / Punjab

Javed Khan, a photographer for the Islamabad-based daily Markaz and a cameraman for U.K.-based DM Digital TV, was shot in the chest and neck while caught in crossfire between SFs and the students of Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad. Four other journalists were also injured in the clashes.

Karachi / Sindh

Muhammad Arif was among more than 130 people killed in bombing in Karachi, which took place during a political rally held to celebrate former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming.

Quetta / Balochistan

Chishti Mujahid, a veteran columnist for the weekly Akbar-e-Jehan, was killed by militants outside his home in Quetta. A spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army, claimed responsibility for the murder, saying Mujahid was “against” the Baloch cause.

Mingora / Swat / KP

Siraj Uddin, a reporter for The Nation, was killed in a suicide bombing that took the lives of more than 40 persons in Mingora town of Swat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khar / Bajaur Agency / FATA

Mohammed Ibrahim, a reporter for Express TV, was shot dead by unidentified militants outside Khar, the main town of the Bajaur Agency in FATA. The journalist was returning by motorcycle from an interview with local TTP ‘spokesman’ Maulvi Omar.

Swat / KP

Abdul Aziz Shaheen, who worked for the local Urdu-language daily Azadi, was killed in an airstrike that hit the lockup of TTP militants where Shaheen was being captive in the Swat. Abdul Aziz Shaheen was kidnapped from the Peuchar area of the Matta tehsil of Swat.

Dera Ismail Khan / KP

A suicide bomber killed Mohammad Imran, a cameraman trainee for Express TV, and Tahir Awan, a freelance reporter for the local Eitedal and Apna Akhbar newspapers, in Dera Ismail Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Swat / KP

Musa Khankhel, a journalist of Geo TV and The News, was killed while covering a peace march led by Muslim cleric Sufi Muhammad, father-in-law of TNSM leader Maulana Fazlullah in Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Jamrud / Khyber Agency / FATA

Three unidentified militants fired at the Afghan journalist, Janullah Hashimzada, and his colleague, Ali Khan, while they were travelling on a public minibus near the town of Jamrud in Khyber Agency of FATA. Hashimzada killed on the spot while Ali Khan injured severely. Both journalists worked for Afghanistan’s Shamshad TV.

Peshawar / KP

A photojournalist, Khurram Pervez, also sustained injuries when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the main gate of the Peshawar Press Club in Peshawar.

Miranshah / North Waziristan Agency / FATA

The Taliban militants detained a freelance journalist working for the Associated Press (AP) for shooting in the volatile tribal region in violation of a ban imposed by them in Miranshah of North Waziristan. Taliban spokesman Ahmadullah Ahmadi said by phone from somewhere in North Waziristan that the reporter had been taken into ‘custody’ for violating the ban.

Sariab Road / Quetta / Balochistan

Unidentified militants shot dead a journalist, identified as Hameed Marwat, at the Sariab Road in Quetta.

Khar / Bajaur Agency / FATA

A journalist, Muhammad Imran Khan, and his sister were injured when unidentified militants made a failed attempt to abduct them from their home in Khar of Bajaur Agency in the FATA. The TTP spokesman Azam Tariq told journalists in North Waziristan that the "pro-America" media was spreading wrong information about the TTP.

Quetta / Balochistan

Samaa TV cameraman, Arif was killed in a suicide bombing at a local civil hospital in Quetta, capital of Balochistan, killing at least eight people and injuring numerous others, including five journalists.

Kacha Pakka IDP camp / Kohat / KP

Azamat Ali Bangash, a cameraman and correspondent for Samaa TV, was killed in a suicide bombing while covering food distribution at the Kacha Pakka IDP camp on the outskirts of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Wahi Pandhi / Sindh

Ghulam Rasool Birhamani, a reporter for the Daily Sindhu, Hyderabad, was found outside his hometown of Wahi Pandhi in Sindh, a day after he had been reported kidnapped. Birhamani's family believed he was killed because of his reporting on ethnic issues in Sindh.

Model Town / Garhi Shahu / Lahore / Punjab

Ejazul Haq, a technician for the local Lahore cable station City-42 TV, was killed while working at the scene of an armed attack on Ahmadiyya place of worship in Model Town and Garhi Shahu areas of Lahore in Punjab.

Quetta  / Balochistan

Ejaz Raisani was killed of injuries which he sustain while covering a rally of Shiite demonstration in Quetta that comes under a suicide attack. Six media personnel, four of them cameramen, were also injured.

Hangu / KP

Misri Khan Orakzai, a newspaper reporter and head of the local journalists association, was shot several times as he entered the press club building in Hangu town of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. TTP claimed responsibility.

Ghalanai / Mohmand Agency / FATA

Pervez Khan Mohmand, a journalist with Waqt TV, and Pervez Khan, were among 50 people killed in a double-suicide bomb attack on a jirga being held outside the office of the assistant political agent of Mohmand Agency at Ghalanai, the headquarters of Mohmand Agency, in FATA.

Liaquatabad / Karachi / Sindh

Wali Khan Babar, Geo TV reporter, was shot dead after his story on target killing in Karachi, at Liaquatabad area.

Peshawar / KP

Nasrullah Khan Afridi, a journalist of Khyber News Agency, was killed when his car blew up in Peshawar. Police said LI ‘chief’ Mangal Bagh, had threatened Afridi in Khyber. In May 2006, CPJ reported that unidentified assailants had lobbed two hand grenades at Afridi’s house in Bara, the main town of Khyber Agency in FATA.

Bahauddin / Punjab

Syed Saleem Shahzad, a Pakistani investigative journalist for leading European and Asian media, found dead on May 31 near the town of Mandi Bahauddin, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) south of the capital, Islamabad.

Peshawar / KP

Asfandyar Khan, a reporter for the Akhbar-e-Khyber, died in a double bombing that took the lives of more than three dozen people in Peshawar. Seven other journalists sustained minor injuries.

Peshawar / KP

Shafiullah Khan, a trainee reporter at The News, died six days after suffering extensive burns in a June 11 double bombing in Peshawar.

Hospital Road / Khuzdar / Balochistan

A senior journalist and member of the Khuzdar Press Club, Munir Ahmed Shakir, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on the Hospital Road in Khuzdar town of Khuzdar District in Balochistan. 

Nishar Hall / Jail Road / Peshawar

A journalist was injured when unidentified assailants attacked the team of a private TV channel, AVT Khyber News, near Nishar Hall on Jail Road in Peshawar.

Landikotal / Khyber Agency / FATA

Unidentified militants ambushed and injured a senior tribal journalist and former Khyber Agency Tribal Union of Journalists president Khalil Khan Afridi in Landikotal town.

Khuzdar / Balochistan

Bullet-riddled body of a journalist, identified as Javed Naseer Rind, was found in Khuzdar. Javed Naseer Rind worked as a senior sub-editor in local newspaper, Daily Tawar, in Mastung. Rind was abducted on September 10 near his resident in Mehmoodabad area of Hub Town in Lasbela District.

Shabqadar / Charsadda / KP

A senior tribal reporter, Mukarram Khan Atif, correspondent for Washington-based Pashto language Deewa Radio and a reporter for a private TV channel, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants in Shabqadar area of Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.