QUETTA: Journalists in Balochistan have demanded of the government to nominate a judge for heading the judicial commission to probe into the murder of more than 30 newsmen in the province.
Balochistan Union of Journalists on Tuesday staged protest demonstration against the killing of Ibrar Tanoli, a photographer of Reuters – an international news agency – and delaying tactics on the part of police in arrest of murderers of Karachi based journalist Wali Khan Babar.
The provincial government had announced to form a judicial commission to investigate the killing of more than 30 journalists across Balochistan – Pakistan’s largest province in land mass plagued by Baloch separatists’ attacks and growing sectarian violence.
“Government must arrest the culprits involved in the murder of Wali Babar and Ibrar Tanoli,” BUJ President Irfan Saeed told protesting journalists outside Quetta Press Club.
The journalists lamented that despite tall claims on the part of rulers, the killers were still at large. The newsmen complained that threats and intimidation to journalists in different parts of the province were undermining freedom of expression.
“Government should nominate a judge to probe into the murder of newsmen without any haste,” Saeed demanded. He said it was responsibility of the law enforcers to bring the killers to book.
The journalists chanted full-throated slogans against the elements targetting journalists in the province. They were holding placards inscribed with slogans such as “arrest killers of journalists” and “stop killing journalists,” condemning the killings of newsmen.
Balochistan is considered to be one of the dangerous areas regarding growing killings of journalists.
“More than two dozen journalists have been injured in different incidents,” President Quetta Press Club Raza ur Rehman said.
In Balochistan's remote districts, some journalists have migrated to other provinces owing to looming security threats.
“More than 10 journalists have left Quetta as result of threats,” Khudai Noor Nasar, a young journalist working for Mashaal radio told Dawn.com.
Hitherto, not even a single suspect has been detained in connection with journalists’ murders. Impunity appears to be a major contributing factor with regard to increasing killing of journalists in Balochistan.