Another Journalist Shot Dead In Pakistan, PEC Raises Concern

In another tragic incident, Pakistani journalist Muhammad Bachal Ghunio, a reporter for Awaaz Television, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Rounti area of Sindh province on August 26. The journalist's family staged a protest outside the office of a senior police officer in Mirpur Mathelo, demanding justice and swift action against the culprits. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed his condolences and directed the police to arrest those responsible for the killing.

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights organization, expressed deep concern over the increasing violence against journalists in Pakistan. PEC president Blaise Lempen, highlighting the seriousness of the issue, said, "A country of around 250 million population has recorded nine journalist murders till date this year." He urged the government in Islamabad to conduct thorough investigations into all cases and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

Nava Thakuria, PEC’s representative for South and Southeast Asia, noted that Ghunio is the ninth journalist killed in Pakistan this year. Before his death, eight other journalists had lost their lives to violence in the country: Malik Hassan Zaib, Khalil Afridi Jibran, Nasrullah Gadani, Kamran Dawar, Mehar Ashfaq Siyal, Maulana Mohammad Siddique Mengal, Jam Saghir Ahmad Lar, and Tahira Nosheen Rana. Thakuria also mentioned that neighboring India has seen the deaths of two journalists—Shivshankar Jha and Ashutosh Shrivastava—during the same period.

This alarming trend has raised concerns about the safety of journalists in the region, with calls for stronger protections and investigations into these ongoing killings.

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