PAKISTAN: Security Forces Fire at Journalists

PESHAWAR, June 9 — The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) has strongly condemned the firing on media persons at the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) area of Malakand in Pakistan by security forces Tuesday.

A reporting team of AVT Khyber, along with a photographer of a national daily, were on their way to the volatile region of Dir Lower for a coverage when they were fired upon by security forces resulting in bullet injuries to AVT Khyber's Malik Imran and driver Mushtaq.

A reporter of Khyber TV Lihaz Ali and photographer Abdul Majeed Goraya were also part of the team, who narrowly escaped.

"We got registered with the authorities at Dargai and were allowed by the security forces deployed at Malakand Top after thoroughly checking to move ahead. No sooner did we leave the security forces, they opened fire at us," said Lihaz Ali.

The KhUJ released a statement expressing serious concern over the increasing threat and attacks on working journalists across NWFP and adjacent tribal belts. This is not the first incident faced by journalists, said the statement, adding that scores of journalists have been killed, injured and pushed out of their respective areas during the previous several months.

The statement also said that the journalists have no access to the restive areas of Malakand division particularly the Swat Valley. The KhUJ demanded that the government provide access to journalists to the restive areas and arrange proper security for them.

The union also demanded that the government look into the attack on the journalists and bring those responsible for it to justice. — Ashfaq Yusufzai