Las Vegas politician jailed for life for killing investigative journalist
August 29, 2024
Former Nevada Official Sentenced for Murder of Journalist Jeff German
August 29, 2024
August 29, 2024 -Pakistan –
On August 27, 2024, Awaz TV reporter Muhammad Bachal Ghunio, aged 35, was brutally shot dead by unidentified gunmen while working in a field near his home in the Raunti area, Ghotki District, Sindh Province. The shooting took place as Ghunio, an investigative journalist, was covering reports on armed robbers (dacoits) operating in nearby riverine zones. Local authorities and his family suspect his professional reporting triggered the attack, while police have also referenced a personal feud as a possible motive.
Witnesses and police noted that at least seven masked assailants opened fire on him. Authorities arrested one suspect and recovered a firearm, though most perpetrators remain at large . Pakistan’s Sindh Home Minister emphasized the urgency of justice, promising swift legal action against those responsible.
International press bodies swiftly denounced the killing. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) mourned Ghunio’s death, acknowledging the death toll in Pakistan among journalists and calling for urgent justice for him and fellow slain reporter Nisar Lehri. CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, Beh Lih Yi, urged authorities to demonstrate political resolve in ending the cycle of violence against journalists.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay also condemned the murder, reaffirming that such crimes are intolerable threats to freedom of expression. She stressed that journalists must be allowed to report without fear of retaliation .
Ghunio was among at least 11 Pakistan-based journalists killed in 2024, with six in Sindh alone, making it the deadliest year on record for the country’s media professionals so far. Local advocates point to the resurgence of violent gang activity in riverine areas and regional impunity as exacerbating threats. While police attributed some killings to “personal enmity,” journalists affirm that their investigative work, especially exposing crime, remains perilously dangerous.
Pakistan continues to rank among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, with over 100 media workers killed between 1992 and 2024 and a systemic failure to bring killers to account. Ghunio’s death underscores the urgent need for stronger legal protections, swift investigations, and a credible commitment by authorities to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
Without decisive action from the government, the rise in targeted killings and violence will persist, eroding press freedom and the public’s right to know, even in regions considered safer than conflict zones.
Reference –
