Islamabad [Pakistan]: Senior journalist and former Chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA), Absar Alam, was shot in Islamabad on Tuesday.
In a video message, he said “I’ve been hit in my ribs” and added that he had not lost hope. He added in a video shared by another Pakistani journalist, Asad Toor, “My message to those who did this is that I am not going to be scared by such tactics”.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) strongly condemned the incident and demanded that the attackers be arrested immediately. “It seems that deep state is at large against journalist community who are victims of rising crime and terrorism in the country,” it said in a statement.
It added, “Such incidents cannot deter the journalist community from raising the voices against lawlessness and (for) freedom of the press in the country.”
The union also demanded that a judicial commission be set up to investigate the attack against Alam and crimes committed against other journalists.
Journalist Hamid Mir, who was also attacked in April 2014, condemned the incident. He tweeted, “Attack on @AbrarAlamHaider is not only condemnable but it’s a clear message to all the voices of dissent. We pray for his fast recovery.”
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif also tweeted, “The assassination attempt on Abrar Alam, a leading voice for civil supremacy, raises a lot of questions. It is an attempt to silence a brave fighter by those who want to silence the voices of freedom and democracy. May Allah protect Absar Alam. Amen”.
At least 10 journalists were murdered and several others threatened, kidnapped, tortured and arrested in Pakistan on trumped-up charges while discharging their responsibilities in 2020 alone, according to the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Media Freedom Report.
No action has been taken against those responsible for torturing and killing journalists and it seems that such persons enjoy impunity. (ANI)