Prominent local journalist murdered in Pakistan

Pakistani authorities are investigating the shooting death on Sunday of a prominent local journalist in the southern province of Sindh.

Jan Mohammad Mahar, bureau chief for Sindhi-language cable television network KTN News, was shot at least four times at point-blank range by unidentified assailants, according to local reports.

He was attacked when he was driving through a busy shopping area in the city of Sukkur on his way home from work. Mahar, who was in his 40s, was taken to a hospital where he died.

As of Monday, Mahar’s family had not filed a police report, although a person familiar with the case told VOA that some suspects were already under investigation. So far, no clear motive has emerged, the source said on condition of anonymity as she was not authorized to speak to the media.

VOA called the police officers involved in the investigation, but received no response.

Global press freedom watchdogs consider Pakistan unsafe for journalists. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 97 media workers and journalists have been killed in the country since 1992, many of them targeted for their work. The conviction rate, however, is almost negligible.

Kiran Mirza, a member of the Sukkur Press Club, told VOA that a senior police officer who visited the hospital that treated Mahar told reporters that in a recent meeting, Mahar did not mention that he was facing threats.

Mirza said his colleagues were “extremely angry and saddened” by the incident.

The Sukkur Press Club has called on media groups across the province to protest outside the police superintendent’s office on Tuesday morning if the culprits are not arrested by then.

Mahar’s murder comes a week after unknown assailants shot and killed another journalist, Ghulam Asghar Khand, near his home in the Sindh city of Ahmedpur.

Freedom Network, a Pakistan-based media watchdog, recorded at least 140 cases of threats and attacks against journalists, media professionals and media organizations between May 2022 and March 2023.