Journalists’ plight in Balochistan

Journalists’ plight in Balochistan

Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan, is frequently in the news due to its high-altitude uprising, recovery of bullet-riddled and mutilated corpses, target killing, explosions and the alleged presence of Quetta Shura, the Taliban outfit active in
Afghanistan.

One does not think over that the province has also become a very dangerous zone to practice for journalist and media persons. Indeed, it is deadliest place of media professionals, as ten journalists lost their lives while performing their duties in alone
2011.

Three out of ten were killed in result of the explosions or after being trapped in the exchange of fire. The remaining media professionals were being targeted during their professional work, getting the empathy of the already hapless local people.

In the fresh move, an armed group, Baloch Musallah Defah Army (BDMA), released a hit list comprising names of six journalists hailing from Khuzdar, the second largest city of Balochistan, located about 300 kilometers of Quetta, the provincial metropolis.

Earlier on, the BDMA had claimed responsibility for assassinating a couple of journalists of Khuzdar, Munir Shakir and Mohammad Khan Sasoli besides kidnapping uncounted people. After intimately looking into the situation, the journalist of Khuzdar decided
to suspend their professional tasks.

It looks quite an obvious decision, as neither the provincial government nor the law enforcement agencies appropriately probed the previous deaths of media men. Mostly journalists and media professionals in the interior of Balochistan mourn of low salaries
and lack of facilities.

Even journalists performing their duties in the provincial metropolis are not regularly being paid their monthly wages. Those who luckily get the salaries that is not enough to meet the both ends in the ongoing scenario.

How can one continue his work under such circumstances? A participant of a seminar stunned the observers saying, “If you are on their hit-list then it is impossible to remain safe until the would-be killers withdraw their decision”.

Presently, 10 to 12 armed groups are active in the province, but law enforcement agencies did not have capacity to eliminate them. A few of them are supporting the security forces while rests of them have breakaway tendencies.

Unfortunately, all the groups have been given a free hand to kidnap and assassin anyone they want with complete freedom. Media professionals in Balochistan are caught between devil and deep blue sea.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=7748

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Dec 30 2011. Filed under Latest News, Opinion, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry