Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: Speaking in a condolence reference, senior journalists demanded journalists’ protection and their families’ safety in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speakers including Peshawar Press Club president Arshad Aziz Malik, Tribal Union of Journalists (ex-Fata districts) president Qazi Fazlullah, Saif-ul-Islam Saifi, senior tribal journalist Haji Pazeer Gul said that journalists must publish fair and unbiased news. They said that three journalists have so far in a few weeks.
Arshad Aziz Malik and Saful Islam Saifi shed light on the services and contributions of Khalil Jibran for society and tourism. They said that Khalil Jibran was a journalist, social worker, and poet.
“We lost the journalist who had devoted his life to the promotion of tourism, the environment, and girls’ education,” said Arshad Aziz Malik.
He said that Khalil always discouraged ignorance and terrorism and urged the government to make sure the best possible educational facilities for girls’ education.
Qazi Fazlullah said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government did not announce the Shaheed package for Khalil Jabran’s family. He said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur failed to take threats to journalists who are being killed one by one. He said last week that another journalist was shot dead in broad daylight, and the killers could be seen in CCTV footage. He said other tribal journalists were also under threat and should be provided protection. He said Journalists from Landikotal, Bara and Jamrud were severely in danger and were threatened by terrorists. He said they also contacted journalists protection national and international organizations but to no avail. He said they would take their protection issue at all platforms.
Qazi urged fellow journalists to take their security measures in place, restrict their movement and avoid public gatherings.
Haji Pazeer Gul said tribal areas were again in the line of fire. He said in the past few months tribal district journalists were being threatened by terrorists for their reports. He said that not only journalists but other citizens’ life was also in danger.
The speakers demanded full Shaheed packages for Khalil Jibran and other journalists who recently lost their lives in the line of duty and protection for the rest of the journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in merged districts.
