11th journalist killed in Pakistan this year, PEC expresses concern
Geneva based the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global organization advocating for media safety and rights, has expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence against journalists in Pakistan. The latest victim, Janan Hussain (40), was killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border on November 20, during an ambush in the Kurram area that claimed the lives of 42 Shiite Muslims. Hussain, a journalist with Channel 365 and a member of the Parachinar Press Club, is the 11th media worker killed in Pakistan this year.
"Janan Hussain's murder marks the 129th journalist killed globally since January 1, highlighting the grim reality of impunity in such cases," said Blaise Lempen, President of PEC. Lempen urged Pakistani authorities to thoroughly investigate Hussain’s death, bring the perpetrators to justice, and address the systemic safety concerns for journalists. "It is alarming to see such a high toll on media workers in a country not officially at war," he added.
PEC Highlights Previous Journalist Killings in Pakistan
PEC’s South Asia representative, Nava Thakuria, detailed a harrowing list of journalists killed in Pakistan this year before Hussain:
- Jam Saghir Ahmed Lar (Daily Khabrain, Punjab, March 14)
- Tahira Nosheen Rana (local Urdu newspaper, Punjab, April 22)
- Muhammad Siddiq Mengel (Khuzdar Press Club, Balochistan, May 3)
- Mehar Ashfaq Siyal (Daily Khabrain, Punjab, May 15)
- Kamran Dawar (YouTube/Facebook, North Waziristan, May 21)
- Nasrullah Gadani (Awami Aghaz, Sindh, May 24)
- Khalil Jibran (Khyber News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, June 19)
- Hasan Zaib (Aaj News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, July 14)
- Muhammad Bachal Ghunio (Awaz TV, Sindh, August 26)
- Nisar Lehri (Masting Press Club, Balochistan, September 4)
The PEC continues to call for stronger protections for journalists in Pakistan, emphasizing the urgency of curbing violence and ensuring accountability for these targeted attacks.
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