One Journalist Killed and another attacked in KP

Karak(KP).Ayub Jan Khattak, associated with GEO TV Channel working in Takht Nusrati area,Karak district , was gunned down on Friday(October 11,2013).According to details, Khattack was attacked while he was going to offer Jumma prayers from his residence. The assailants, which some reports alleged were two opened indiscriminate fire, resulting his death on the spot.His body was shifted to District Headquarters Hospital for autopsy.Khattak’s family members said they had no enmity with anyone however he had filed a story abour sale of drugs and drug sellers. Slain journalist left behind a widow,six daughters and four sons.The killing of Ayub Khattak comes three days after Pakistan’s Federal Minister For Information Pervaiz Rasheed announced thePakistan Muslim League (N) government’s support to the United Nations’ Plan of Action to fight impunity of crimes against media in Pakistan.As per monitoring of RMNP,he is 9th journalist who was killed this year in Pakistan.

Meanwhile General Secretary Abbottabad Union of Journalists Sardar Shafiq, who works for a local Urdu daily in Abbottabad was badly beaten on Thursday (October 10,2013) night.As per details Sardar Shafiq , left his office late in the night when three men intercepted him and started thrashing him with iron rods, leaving him critically injured. FATA and Baluchistan are among the most dangerous for journalists and dozen of them had been killed in the last few years. Pakistan ranked among the three most dangerous countries in the world forjournalists. Despite repeated demands and appeal the government failed in protecting the life of journalist while Media Houses, not ready to adopt any policy for training and safety of journalist. Concrete measures are needed both for safety and ethical journalism in Pakistan,said different press freedom advocates in their statements.
In a statement, RMNP President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar has condemned the attack on Mr Shafiq and murder of Ayub Jan Khattack and said that such acts would not deter journalists from raising their voice.He demanded of Khyber Pakhunkhaw province to arrest the killers of Ayub Khan Khattack and attackers of Sardar Shafiq without any further delay.

Source.RMNP
Date 10/11/2013