Two Journalists Killed in Pakistan as Violence Against Media Intensifies

September 13, 2024 – Pakistan – 

Pakistan’s deteriorating press freedom climate worsened further with the recent killings of two journalists, Muhammad Bachal Ghunio and Nisar Lehri, in separate incidents that underscore a disturbing rise in violence against the media.

On August 27, 2024, Muhammad Bachal Ghunio, a reporter for Awaz TV, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Sindh province. His brother and local police said the murder was likely linked to his investigative reporting. Authorities have since arrested a suspect and recovered a weapon believed to be used in the attack, though details remain limited. Ghunio’s death has shocked the local press community and raised urgent calls for justice.

Just days later, on September 4, Nisar Lehri, a veteran journalist with the International News Agency and secretary of the Mastung Press Club, was gunned down near his home in Balochistan by three masked assailants. According to the police report, Lehri had received threats for his reporting on local criminal networks, though officials also cited a possible land dispute as a secondary motive. The ambiguity has sparked concerns of obfuscation, a common problem in journalist murder investigations in Pakistan.

These killings bring the number of Pakistani journalists murdered in 2024 to at least nine, with many more facing intimidation, assault, or self-censorship. The country remains on the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Global Impunity Index, consistently ranked among the worst countries for unpunished journalist murders.

Press freedom groups, including CPJ, have condemned the killings and urged Pakistani authorities to conduct transparent, credible investigations. CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, Beh Lih Yi, warned that “the press in Pakistan cannot carry out their journalism unless the government ends the impunity against journalists.”

While local officials have pledged cooperation and accountability, rights groups remain skeptical, citing Pakistan’s long history of failed prosecutions in journalist killings.

As threats multiply and justice remains elusive, the murders of Ghunio and Lehri serve as grim reminders of the dangers Pakistani journalists face daily. Without urgent reform and protection, 2024 may become one of the deadliest years on record for the country’s press.

Reference –

Journalists Muhammad Bachal Ghunio and Nisar Lehri killed amid rising violence against press in Pakistan – Committee to Protect Journalists (cpj.org)