Report raises concerns over attacks on Pakistani journalists 

The Pakistan Press Freedom Report 2022 has stated journalists in Pakistan has been subjected to murder, torture, threats, kidnapping and attacks and 34 per cent of attacks were reported in the federal capital.

According to 24NewsHD TV channel, it stated that during the last year, 91 such incidents took place across the country. The report said 24 incidents occurred in Sindh, 20 in Punjab, 13 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and three in Balochistan.

A total of seven journalists and bloggers were killed, the findings said, adding that the deceased are Aziz, Arooj Iqbal, Ziaur Rehman, Mohammad Zada, Mirza Waseem Baig and Iftikhar Ahmad.

A total of 2,176 journalists were killed from 1992 to 2022 and according to Unesco, 11 journalists were killed in 2010, 5 in 2011 and 10 in 2012. The findings showed eight journalists were killed in 2013, 4 journalists were killed every year from 2014 to 2017, and 5 journalists were killed every year from 2018 to 2022.

Between May 2020 and April 2021, attacks have increased by 40 per cent and there were 148 incidents in just one year, it stated, adding from 2010 to 2013, Pakistan was the most dangerous country for journalists, during which 34 journalists were killed. 

Several journalists, including Ahmed Nawarni, Umar Cheema, Bilal Farooqui, Matiullah Jan and Asad Toor, were abducted and tortured. From 1998 to 2001, no murder of a journalist was reported.