PESHAWAR: Speaking in a condolence reference, senior journalists demanded protection of news reporters and safety for their families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speakers including Peshawar Press Club president Arshad Aziz Malik,Tribal Union of Journalist(ex-Fata districts) president Qazi Fazlullah,Saif-ul-Islam Saifi,senior tribal journalist Haji Pazeer Gul said that newsmen must publish fair and unbiased news. They said that three reporters have so far been killed in 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 not only a journalist but he was social worker and poet.
“We lost the journalist who had devoted his life for the promotion of tourism, environment, and girls education,” said Arshad Aziz Malik.
He said that Khalil always discouraged ignorance and terrorism and urged the government to make sure best possible educational facilities for girls’ education.
Qazi Fazlullah said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government did not announce 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 reporter was shot dead in broad daylight, and the killers could be seen in CCTV footage. He said other tribal journalists were also under threat who should be provided protection. He said reporters from Landikotal, Bara and Jamrud were in severely in danger who were threanted 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 reporters to take their security measures in place,restrict their movement and avoid public gathers.
Haji Pazeer Gul said tribal areas again in the line of fire. He said in the past few months tribal districts journalists were being threatening by terroritis for their reports. He said that not only news reporters but other citizens’ life was also in danger.
The speakers demanded full Shaheed packages for Khalil Jibran and other news reporters who recently lost their lives in the lone of duty and protection for all newsmen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa especially in merged districts.