Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Monday, 19 October 2009
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Brutal Murder of a Senior Journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan!
Brutal Murder of a Senior Journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan!
My elder brother and a veteran journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan Resident Editor of a national news agency "PPI" was brutally murdered in Islamabad the federal capital of Pakistan on the night of 31st October 2006, under mysterious circumstances near his office. The police are still clueless and there is no headway in the whole investigation.I am a Pakistani and now living in the "United Kingdom" for the last few years. I would like to draw the attention to the authorities, especially the Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan, that on the night of 31st October 2006 my elder brother Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan, a veteran journalist was brutally murdered in Islamabad the federal capital of Pakistan under mysterious circumstances near his office. The police are still clueless and there is no headway in the whole investigation. My fifty three year old elder brother Malik Ismail Khan Shaheed was in journalism for the last thirty years and he was working as a Resident Editor of an independent national news agency Pakistan Press International (PPI) at Islamabad, at the time of his brutal murder by unidentified people on the midnight of 31st October/01st November 2006. He had no enmity or personal conflict with any one. During his career he worked with prominent media organisations including Daily "The Muslim", daily "The Frontier Post", daily "Mashriq" News agencies "Online" and "PPI". He started his career in journalism as a Reporter from Attock in 1976, and worked his way up to Peshawar and Islamabad as a Senior Staff Reporter, Chief Reporter, Editor Reporting, Bureau Chief and Resident Editor till his sudden death, which has devastated our whole family. He was an honest, upright, fearless and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism. He was a much loved and respected, son, brother, uncle, husband, father and grand father, he will be dearly missed and our family will not be able to come to terms with how he died until his killers are found and punished. According to the Police his body was found from the green belt area of F-6/1 (which is some thirty/forty feet away from Shaheed-e-Millets Road not so far away from his office "PPI") near a busy Super Market, as an unknown person, in the morning on Wednesday 01st November 2006 and was moved straight away to the "PIMS" (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) for autopsy, without any detailed forensic search of the scene. Whilst his identity cards and other possessions were in his waistcoat, which was found by the police later on in the day, and then they told "PPI" office and our family members in the afternoon. The murderers took only his mobile phone, which is still missing and many phone calls made and received by him are not listed in the incoming and outgoing details. Doctor Wasim A Khawaja of "PIMS" who did the autopsy stated that "it was a target killing and there were very clear marks on both of his wrists". There were also very clear finger print marks on his face near his mouth, showing that he had been gagged, and there was a little round mark (bruise) on the left side of his chest above the heart. The Doctor said that he had been killed after being tied up and abducted because there were no signs of resistance on his hands etc. Kohsar Police Station in Islamabad registered an FIR No.466 dated 01.11.2006 under section 302/34 PP against unknown assailants on the complaint of his younger-son Zishan Ismail Khan and started the investigation but even after the passing of Two years and Seven months, the capital's police have no clue and headway. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also done an investigation but nothing has come from their investigation too. Even though the Ex-Government's Ministers and Officials have claimed that the actual culprits will be caught very soon, and after the noisy protest of the journalist community, Prime Minister and Federal Interior Minister (then) have been ordered two separate inquiries for a full investigation, and under the chair of Federal Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, a joint interrogation team worked but nothing has come from any inquiry or interrogations. The fact of the matter is that, after a long time of the brutal murder of a senior journalist who was such a very kind, humble and caring person, there is no headway or any clue as to finding the actual murderers because the investigative departments have not done their work properly. They have ruined the whole investigation. I appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take "Sou Moto Action" into the brutal murder of a senior journalist and provide justice to our family in finding the actual murderers and bringing them to exemplary punishment.
Abdul Waheed Khan
My elder brother and a veteran journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan Resident Editor of a national news agency "PPI" was brutally murdered in Islamabad the federal capital of Pakistan on the night of 31st October 2006, under mysterious circumstances near his office. The police are still clueless and there is no headway in the whole investigation.I am a Pakistani and now living in the "United Kingdom" for the last few years. I would like to draw the attention to the authorities, especially the Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan, that on the night of 31st October 2006 my elder brother Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan, a veteran journalist was brutally murdered in Islamabad the federal capital of Pakistan under mysterious circumstances near his office. The police are still clueless and there is no headway in the whole investigation. My fifty three year old elder brother Malik Ismail Khan Shaheed was in journalism for the last thirty years and he was working as a Resident Editor of an independent national news agency Pakistan Press International (PPI) at Islamabad, at the time of his brutal murder by unidentified people on the midnight of 31st October/01st November 2006. He had no enmity or personal conflict with any one. During his career he worked with prominent media organisations including Daily "The Muslim", daily "The Frontier Post", daily "Mashriq" News agencies "Online" and "PPI". He started his career in journalism as a Reporter from Attock in 1976, and worked his way up to Peshawar and Islamabad as a Senior Staff Reporter, Chief Reporter, Editor Reporting, Bureau Chief and Resident Editor till his sudden death, which has devastated our whole family. He was an honest, upright, fearless and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism. He was a much loved and respected, son, brother, uncle, husband, father and grand father, he will be dearly missed and our family will not be able to come to terms with how he died until his killers are found and punished. According to the Police his body was found from the green belt area of F-6/1 (which is some thirty/forty feet away from Shaheed-e-Millets Road not so far away from his office "PPI") near a busy Super Market, as an unknown person, in the morning on Wednesday 01st November 2006 and was moved straight away to the "PIMS" (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) for autopsy, without any detailed forensic search of the scene. Whilst his identity cards and other possessions were in his waistcoat, which was found by the police later on in the day, and then they told "PPI" office and our family members in the afternoon. The murderers took only his mobile phone, which is still missing and many phone calls made and received by him are not listed in the incoming and outgoing details. Doctor Wasim A Khawaja of "PIMS" who did the autopsy stated that "it was a target killing and there were very clear marks on both of his wrists". There were also very clear finger print marks on his face near his mouth, showing that he had been gagged, and there was a little round mark (bruise) on the left side of his chest above the heart. The Doctor said that he had been killed after being tied up and abducted because there were no signs of resistance on his hands etc. Kohsar Police Station in Islamabad registered an FIR No.466 dated 01.11.2006 under section 302/34 PP against unknown assailants on the complaint of his younger-son Zishan Ismail Khan and started the investigation but even after the passing of Two years and Seven months, the capital's police have no clue and headway. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also done an investigation but nothing has come from their investigation too. Even though the Ex-Government's Ministers and Officials have claimed that the actual culprits will be caught very soon, and after the noisy protest of the journalist community, Prime Minister and Federal Interior Minister (then) have been ordered two separate inquiries for a full investigation, and under the chair of Federal Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, a joint interrogation team worked but nothing has come from any inquiry or interrogations. The fact of the matter is that, after a long time of the brutal murder of a senior journalist who was such a very kind, humble and caring person, there is no headway or any clue as to finding the actual murderers because the investigative departments have not done their work properly. They have ruined the whole investigation. I appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take "Sou Moto Action" into the brutal murder of a senior journalist and provide justice to our family in finding the actual murderers and bringing them to exemplary punishment.
Abdul Waheed Khan
"SHUHDA-I-PRESS IN PAKISTAN AND APPEAL FOR JUSTICE"
Shuhda-i-Press
Abdul Waheed Khan Birmingham,UK
According to a news published in newspapers that the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) would arrange a conference to mark the World Press Freedom Day (on 3rd May) to advocate freedom of press and acknowledge the services of those journalists who have been killed in the line of duty and they would be awarded "Shuhda of Press Freedom Medals". This is realky appreciated that CPNE is going to acknowledge the services of those journalists who gave their lives for the great cause of "Freedom of Press" in Pakistan but it is really sad that the murder cases of most of the martyred journalists are still unsolved. My elder brother, an Islamabad based veteran journalist and Resident Editor of PPI news agency, Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan, had been brutally murdered under mysterious circumstances near his office on the night of 31st October 2006 during Pervez Musharaf's dictatorship and uptill now his murderers are still at large and there is no clue or head-way in the police investigation. Malik Mohammad Ismail was a professional journalist and a thorough gentleman who always worked for democracy and a positive image of independent journalism in Pakistan. He was an honest, upright, fearless and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism. My brother was in journalism for the last 30 years and during his career he worked with prominent media organisations including 'The Muslim', 'The Frontier Post', 'Mashriq' News agencies 'Online' and 'PPI' as Staff Reporter, Chief Reporter, Bureau Chief and Resident Editor till his sudden death which has devastated our whole family and we are still waiting for justice. Kohsar police station had registered an FIR No. 466 dated 1.11.2006 under section302/34 PP and started the investigation but nothing has come from any inquiry or interrogation and the federal capital police had ruined the whole investigation. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also done a separate inquiry and submitted a report to the police department but our family has not heard anything regarding this report. On the occasion of World Press Freedom day I request and demand that the Government order a re-investigation in all the journalists' murder cases since 1999 by the Judicial Commission, under the supervision of Supreme Court. I also request the leadership of journalists community, especially the office-bearers of CPNE, PFUJ, RIUJ and RIPC that they should continue their painstaking efforts and raise the voice in this regard. I know that our dear brother and other martyred journalists will never come back to us but, justice needs to be done.
Abdul Waheed Khan Birmingham,UK
According to a news published in newspapers that the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) would arrange a conference to mark the World Press Freedom Day (on 3rd May) to advocate freedom of press and acknowledge the services of those journalists who have been killed in the line of duty and they would be awarded "Shuhda of Press Freedom Medals". This is realky appreciated that CPNE is going to acknowledge the services of those journalists who gave their lives for the great cause of "Freedom of Press" in Pakistan but it is really sad that the murder cases of most of the martyred journalists are still unsolved. My elder brother, an Islamabad based veteran journalist and Resident Editor of PPI news agency, Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan, had been brutally murdered under mysterious circumstances near his office on the night of 31st October 2006 during Pervez Musharaf's dictatorship and uptill now his murderers are still at large and there is no clue or head-way in the police investigation. Malik Mohammad Ismail was a professional journalist and a thorough gentleman who always worked for democracy and a positive image of independent journalism in Pakistan. He was an honest, upright, fearless and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism. My brother was in journalism for the last 30 years and during his career he worked with prominent media organisations including 'The Muslim', 'The Frontier Post', 'Mashriq' News agencies 'Online' and 'PPI' as Staff Reporter, Chief Reporter, Bureau Chief and Resident Editor till his sudden death which has devastated our whole family and we are still waiting for justice. Kohsar police station had registered an FIR No. 466 dated 1.11.2006 under section302/34 PP and started the investigation but nothing has come from any inquiry or interrogation and the federal capital police had ruined the whole investigation. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also done a separate inquiry and submitted a report to the police department but our family has not heard anything regarding this report. On the occasion of World Press Freedom day I request and demand that the Government order a re-investigation in all the journalists' murder cases since 1999 by the Judicial Commission, under the supervision of Supreme Court. I also request the leadership of journalists community, especially the office-bearers of CPNE, PFUJ, RIUJ and RIPC that they should continue their painstaking efforts and raise the voice in this regard. I know that our dear brother and other martyred journalists will never come back to us but, justice needs to be done.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Justice
Justice
ABDUL WAHEED KHAN, UNITED KINGDOM
Raja Assad Hameed Abbasi, a senior reporter has been brutally murdered at his doorstep by unidentified gunmen and nobody knows whether his killers will be arrested or not? The brutal murder of a professional journalist shocked and saddened the Pakistani community living abroad. I pray Allah may give him place in heaven and courage to his family members to bear this loss. Raja Assad was a very nice and wise person and a competent reporter, a rarity in his profession. He visited the UK as a senior member of a journalist’s delegation in 2006 and he impressed every one here during his meetings, greetings and functions by his qualities, character and spoken skills very fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi languages. I remember when I first met him and one of his colleague introduced me as the younger brother of a senior journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail. He gave me respect and shared golden-professional memories of how he started his journalistic career in a news agency where Malik Ismail was working as chief reporter. When my brother and senior journalist, Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan was brutally murdered on the midnight of October 31, 2006 under mysterious circumstances in Islamabad during Musharraf’s dictatorship, he shared our grief and sorrow. Malik Ismail’s murderers are still at large. Being Muslims we believe that death is universal truth and no body can bring back the deceased, but justice should be done. Can the democratically elected President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani or the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry provide the justice to the victim’s family?
ABDUL WAHEED KHAN, UNITED KINGDOM
Raja Assad Hameed Abbasi, a senior reporter has been brutally murdered at his doorstep by unidentified gunmen and nobody knows whether his killers will be arrested or not? The brutal murder of a professional journalist shocked and saddened the Pakistani community living abroad. I pray Allah may give him place in heaven and courage to his family members to bear this loss. Raja Assad was a very nice and wise person and a competent reporter, a rarity in his profession. He visited the UK as a senior member of a journalist’s delegation in 2006 and he impressed every one here during his meetings, greetings and functions by his qualities, character and spoken skills very fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi languages. I remember when I first met him and one of his colleague introduced me as the younger brother of a senior journalist Malik Mohammad Ismail. He gave me respect and shared golden-professional memories of how he started his journalistic career in a news agency where Malik Ismail was working as chief reporter. When my brother and senior journalist, Malik Mohammad Ismail Khan was brutally murdered on the midnight of October 31, 2006 under mysterious circumstances in Islamabad during Musharraf’s dictatorship, he shared our grief and sorrow. Malik Ismail’s murderers are still at large. Being Muslims we believe that death is universal truth and no body can bring back the deceased, but justice should be done. Can the democratically elected President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani or the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry provide the justice to the victim’s family?
PAS demands special body to probe crimes against journalists
PAS demands special body to probe crimes against journalists
Saturday, March 28, 2009By Sohail Khan
IslamabadThe journalist community Friday strongly condemned the brutal murder of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi, a reporter of an English daily and demanded of the government to arrest the criminals and establish a commission to investigate such criminal acts against the newsmen.The demand was made during an emergency meeting of Press Association of Supreme Court Reporters (PAS) held here under the chairmanship of its President Nasir Iqbal.The meeting passed a unanimous resolution to condemn the heinous act against a renowned journalist. Meanwhile, the association has submitted an appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the incident that took place on Thursday night in Rawalpindi. The meeting also acknowledged the boldness and professionalism of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi and paid rich tributes to him for his active role he played for well being of the the journalist community. “The instances of attacks on journalists have increased manifold, seriously jeopardizing the function of news gathering and news reporting to keep the people of Pakistan informed,” the resolution said.It was observed that the government had failed to protect the life and liberty of journalists and the fundamental right of freedom of expression being exercised through independent media.“The Thursday night’s gruesome murder of Raja Asad Hameed who was a member of the Press Association of Supreme Court (PAS) and a senior Court Reporter has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the eyes and ears of the society and whereas the government has failed to probe into murders of journalists in the past and prosecute the killers like in the case of senior journalists Tariq Malik, Hayatullah Khan, Ibrahim, Muhammad Ismail Khan, Musa Khan and many others.The PAS condemned the failure of the government to properly probe into the murders of journalists and arrest and prosecute the people involved in this heinous crime.It called upon the government to immediately order a judicial inquiry into the recent killing of Raja Asad Hameed, and establish a judicial commission on permanent basis to hold investigations into such crimes against the journalists.The association appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the murder of Raja Asad Hameed in particular and those of other journalists in general, which have seriously jeopardized the enforcement of all the fundamental rights due to the coercive environment created for society’s eyes and ears.Meanwhile, the PAS has decided to extensively pursue and report the investigation and prosecution into the murder of these journalists in order to keep the people informed about the level of sincerity of the government and seriousness of the legal proceedings in all such incidents.The association resolved to closely monitor the progress in all such cases.Later, the participants of the meeting prayed for the departed souls of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi and Tariq Malik and prayed to Almighty Allah to give patience and courage to the bereaved families to bear these losses.
Saturday, March 28, 2009By Sohail Khan
IslamabadThe journalist community Friday strongly condemned the brutal murder of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi, a reporter of an English daily and demanded of the government to arrest the criminals and establish a commission to investigate such criminal acts against the newsmen.The demand was made during an emergency meeting of Press Association of Supreme Court Reporters (PAS) held here under the chairmanship of its President Nasir Iqbal.The meeting passed a unanimous resolution to condemn the heinous act against a renowned journalist. Meanwhile, the association has submitted an appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the incident that took place on Thursday night in Rawalpindi. The meeting also acknowledged the boldness and professionalism of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi and paid rich tributes to him for his active role he played for well being of the the journalist community. “The instances of attacks on journalists have increased manifold, seriously jeopardizing the function of news gathering and news reporting to keep the people of Pakistan informed,” the resolution said.It was observed that the government had failed to protect the life and liberty of journalists and the fundamental right of freedom of expression being exercised through independent media.“The Thursday night’s gruesome murder of Raja Asad Hameed who was a member of the Press Association of Supreme Court (PAS) and a senior Court Reporter has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the eyes and ears of the society and whereas the government has failed to probe into murders of journalists in the past and prosecute the killers like in the case of senior journalists Tariq Malik, Hayatullah Khan, Ibrahim, Muhammad Ismail Khan, Musa Khan and many others.The PAS condemned the failure of the government to properly probe into the murders of journalists and arrest and prosecute the people involved in this heinous crime.It called upon the government to immediately order a judicial inquiry into the recent killing of Raja Asad Hameed, and establish a judicial commission on permanent basis to hold investigations into such crimes against the journalists.The association appealed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the murder of Raja Asad Hameed in particular and those of other journalists in general, which have seriously jeopardized the enforcement of all the fundamental rights due to the coercive environment created for society’s eyes and ears.Meanwhile, the PAS has decided to extensively pursue and report the investigation and prosecution into the murder of these journalists in order to keep the people informed about the level of sincerity of the government and seriousness of the legal proceedings in all such incidents.The association resolved to closely monitor the progress in all such cases.Later, the participants of the meeting prayed for the departed souls of Raja Asad Hameed Abbasi and Tariq Malik and prayed to Almighty Allah to give patience and courage to the bereaved families to bear these losses.
Should we fail to avenge
Should we fail to avenge
A friend remembers Assad Hameed, a journalist recently murdered in Rawalpindi
By Ahmer Kureishi
Assad Hameed -- Raja Assad for his many friends and me -- was not my brother. He was everyone's brother. Is it possible that some of his brothers in law-enforcement agencies are dwelling on his murder even as I write this?
He was killed at his doorstep as he returned from work on the evening of March 26, 2009. What was he thinking when it caught up with him? Did he think of his mother and two-year-old daughter he was so attached to? What did he feel when he realised he will never see his child again, that she will grow up in a chaotic, lawless world without him? Did he agonise over the sheer impossibility of it? She was feet away from him, right behind that door, in the arms of her mother, who was probably aware of the stopping car expecting anything. They were so close, yet he would never expose his fears to them. Did he at all see it coming? Is it possible he saw it coming for days, maybe weeks, months, or years?
Assad brought to journalism a law degree. He was a colleague at Online, the news service, for a brief period after which he moved on to cover the crime beat for the start-up Sun newspaper. But the friendship we found in those fleeting days lasted till his death.
Assad -- a journalist to the core and one of the more prominent journalists of the city -- was killed in cold blood and nothing seems to be coming of it. Call it hasty, false allegation and I will agree with you, prove me wrong and I will be thankful. But honestly, I do not see anything coming of this assassination. Have we not seen investigation into the murder of so many journalists get nowhere?
Where, for instance, has the investigation into the killing (March 22, 2008) of Tariq Malik Javed gone? What has become of the murder (February 18, 2008) of Musa Khankhel? Where has the probe into the murder (October 31, 2006) of Malik Muhammad Ismail gone?
The circumstances of these murders vary. Assad was gunned down at his doorstep; Javed was apparently killed by robbers; Khankhel was picked up from the middle of a crowd while reporting live at the peace rally of Sufi Muhammad and his bullet-riddled body was found by the wayside hours later; Malik Ismail was bludgeoned to death with a blunt weapon, his hands tied, according to the autopsy report.
On the face of it, all these murders are unrelated, and yet, there is one thing common -- all these murders seem to be going unpunished. Nor are these the only journalists to have been killed in recent times. In 2008 alone, nine journalists had been killed, four were kidnapped and two went missing, according to a recent HRCP report.
The Committee to Protect Journalists stated on March 23, 2009 that the already murderous conditions for the press in Pakistan deteriorated further in the past year, as it released its newly updated Impunity Index -- a list of countries where journalists are killed regularly while the governments fail to solve the issue. Nor are journalists the only people whose murders are going unpunished. Politicians, lawyers, social workers, doctors, diplomats, citizens, soldiers, policemen… the list is endless. The only pattern discernable is that in our country, people are being killed with impunity.
It is possible that I am oversimplifying, but I think this 'culture of murder' is a product of the mentality that the use of force can solve problems. At the root of all murder -- be it 'wholesale murder' by organised mobs, target killing by 'unknown assailants,' deliberate murder over a land dispute or impetuous killing over a verbal altercation -- is this murderous mentality that could not but flourish in a society bereft of rule of law and only in such a society.
We have made some progress towards rule of law in recent times. But have we moved back far enough from the brink to make it to safety? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, let the powerful among us remember that in a lawless society, no privilege is guaranteed. A society conditioned to condone any murder will condone any murder, there will be no exceptions. Nothing. Nothing will protect any of us unless the law protects all of us.
Should we fail to avenge
your fall
We fall, sure as death, one
and all
Sure as you have fallen,
we fall
A friend remembers Assad Hameed, a journalist recently murdered in Rawalpindi
By Ahmer Kureishi
Assad Hameed -- Raja Assad for his many friends and me -- was not my brother. He was everyone's brother. Is it possible that some of his brothers in law-enforcement agencies are dwelling on his murder even as I write this?
He was killed at his doorstep as he returned from work on the evening of March 26, 2009. What was he thinking when it caught up with him? Did he think of his mother and two-year-old daughter he was so attached to? What did he feel when he realised he will never see his child again, that she will grow up in a chaotic, lawless world without him? Did he agonise over the sheer impossibility of it? She was feet away from him, right behind that door, in the arms of her mother, who was probably aware of the stopping car expecting anything. They were so close, yet he would never expose his fears to them. Did he at all see it coming? Is it possible he saw it coming for days, maybe weeks, months, or years?
Assad brought to journalism a law degree. He was a colleague at Online, the news service, for a brief period after which he moved on to cover the crime beat for the start-up Sun newspaper. But the friendship we found in those fleeting days lasted till his death.
Assad -- a journalist to the core and one of the more prominent journalists of the city -- was killed in cold blood and nothing seems to be coming of it. Call it hasty, false allegation and I will agree with you, prove me wrong and I will be thankful. But honestly, I do not see anything coming of this assassination. Have we not seen investigation into the murder of so many journalists get nowhere?
Where, for instance, has the investigation into the killing (March 22, 2008) of Tariq Malik Javed gone? What has become of the murder (February 18, 2008) of Musa Khankhel? Where has the probe into the murder (October 31, 2006) of Malik Muhammad Ismail gone?
The circumstances of these murders vary. Assad was gunned down at his doorstep; Javed was apparently killed by robbers; Khankhel was picked up from the middle of a crowd while reporting live at the peace rally of Sufi Muhammad and his bullet-riddled body was found by the wayside hours later; Malik Ismail was bludgeoned to death with a blunt weapon, his hands tied, according to the autopsy report.
On the face of it, all these murders are unrelated, and yet, there is one thing common -- all these murders seem to be going unpunished. Nor are these the only journalists to have been killed in recent times. In 2008 alone, nine journalists had been killed, four were kidnapped and two went missing, according to a recent HRCP report.
The Committee to Protect Journalists stated on March 23, 2009 that the already murderous conditions for the press in Pakistan deteriorated further in the past year, as it released its newly updated Impunity Index -- a list of countries where journalists are killed regularly while the governments fail to solve the issue. Nor are journalists the only people whose murders are going unpunished. Politicians, lawyers, social workers, doctors, diplomats, citizens, soldiers, policemen… the list is endless. The only pattern discernable is that in our country, people are being killed with impunity.
It is possible that I am oversimplifying, but I think this 'culture of murder' is a product of the mentality that the use of force can solve problems. At the root of all murder -- be it 'wholesale murder' by organised mobs, target killing by 'unknown assailants,' deliberate murder over a land dispute or impetuous killing over a verbal altercation -- is this murderous mentality that could not but flourish in a society bereft of rule of law and only in such a society.
We have made some progress towards rule of law in recent times. But have we moved back far enough from the brink to make it to safety? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, let the powerful among us remember that in a lawless society, no privilege is guaranteed. A society conditioned to condone any murder will condone any murder, there will be no exceptions. Nothing. Nothing will protect any of us unless the law protects all of us.
Should we fail to avenge
your fall
We fall, sure as death, one
and all
Sure as you have fallen,
we fall
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Still waiting for Justice Brothers’ grief over unsolved case published in "The Asian Today" January 2008.
News - The Asian Today
Updated: 11:22, Thursday January 3, 2008
Still waiting for Justice
Brothers’ grief over unsolved case
THE BROTHER of a Pakistani journalist murdered over a year ago has revealed his frustrations that his killers have not been brought to justice.
53-year-old Mohammed Ismail Malik, a prominent and well-known journalist in Pakistan, was brutally killed in Islamabad on October 31 shortly after attending a Turkish Reception in the city.
Reports suggested the veteran journalist was hit on the head several times with a blunt object and died from a fractured skull.
His younger brother, Abdul Waheed Khan, who lives in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, told The Asian Today his family are finding it increasingly difficult to come to terms with his brother's murder knowing his killers have not been brought to justice.
"His murder has devastated our whole family," he said.
"He was an honest, upright, fearless, responsible and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism.
"He was a very much loved and respected, son, brother, uncle, husband, father and grandfather. He will be dearly missed and our whole family will not be able to come to terms with how he died until his killers are found and punished."
Mr Malik's murder sent shockwaves through the journalist community in Pakistan.
A well-known reporter with over 20 years of experience working for some of the country's prominent news agencies his death and the failure by police to catch his killers over a year after his murder have stunned his family and colleagues.
Mr Khan said the family were given assurances by the Pakistani government that they would do all they can to bring Mr Malik's killers to justice.
But despite a few early arrests the case has dried up much to the annoyance to his family.
Mr Khan said: "The fact of the matter is that, after a whole year of the brutal murder of my brother, who was such a very kind, humble and caring person, there is no headway or any clue as to finding the actual murderers because the investigative departments have not done their work properly and they have ruined the whole investigation."
And his criticism was also shared by the President of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, Mr Afzal Butt.
He condemned the lack of effort put into the investigation adding: “No stone will be left unturned to press the government in this regard.”
Updated: 11:22, Thursday January 3, 2008
Still waiting for Justice
Brothers’ grief over unsolved case
THE BROTHER of a Pakistani journalist murdered over a year ago has revealed his frustrations that his killers have not been brought to justice.
53-year-old Mohammed Ismail Malik, a prominent and well-known journalist in Pakistan, was brutally killed in Islamabad on October 31 shortly after attending a Turkish Reception in the city.
Reports suggested the veteran journalist was hit on the head several times with a blunt object and died from a fractured skull.
His younger brother, Abdul Waheed Khan, who lives in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, told The Asian Today his family are finding it increasingly difficult to come to terms with his brother's murder knowing his killers have not been brought to justice.
"His murder has devastated our whole family," he said.
"He was an honest, upright, fearless, responsible and a conscientious journalist and was widely admired and respected in the community of journalists for his qualities of character and professionalism.
"He was a very much loved and respected, son, brother, uncle, husband, father and grandfather. He will be dearly missed and our whole family will not be able to come to terms with how he died until his killers are found and punished."
Mr Malik's murder sent shockwaves through the journalist community in Pakistan.
A well-known reporter with over 20 years of experience working for some of the country's prominent news agencies his death and the failure by police to catch his killers over a year after his murder have stunned his family and colleagues.
Mr Khan said the family were given assurances by the Pakistani government that they would do all they can to bring Mr Malik's killers to justice.
But despite a few early arrests the case has dried up much to the annoyance to his family.
Mr Khan said: "The fact of the matter is that, after a whole year of the brutal murder of my brother, who was such a very kind, humble and caring person, there is no headway or any clue as to finding the actual murderers because the investigative departments have not done their work properly and they have ruined the whole investigation."
And his criticism was also shared by the President of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, Mr Afzal Butt.
He condemned the lack of effort put into the investigation adding: “No stone will be left unturned to press the government in this regard.”
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Ismail Malik Awaits Justice
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 09:02 PM EST - 14 Reads
Section: Journalism/Media
Ismail Malik Awaits Justice
By Pulse November 01, 2007
Even after a year has passed when senior journalist Ismail Malik was murdered in Islamabad, the Federal Police have failed to arrest the murderers. Since then the journalist community has been protesting against the Police failure and negligence but to little vain.
Ismail Malik, Resident Editor of Pakistan Press International (PPI) news agency, was brutally murdered outside a scavenger’s tent in the bushy area close to Super Market at midnight, October 31-November 1. According to already published reports, Ismail attended a Turkish Reception on the 31st night, returned to his office located in Super Market, and then, at around, 9:30 pm, went out for walk—never to return again. He lived alone in the office premises; so, nobody went out at night to look for him.
It was only on November 1st morning that the scavenger, according to Police information, found Ismail dead outside his tent inside the bushes. The disclosure was made public at around 8:30 am—the news spread like wild fire in the twin cities. The Police sent the corpse for post-mortem at Islamabad’s main government hospital—Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences—where scores of journalists, police and government officials later gathered for further information regarding the murder and to express their collective horror on the unfortunate incident.
A Brutal Murder
The brutal manner in which Ismail was murdered was enough to shock, enrage and even scare his fellow journalists. Those who have seen Ismail’s dead body say that his skull was virtually crushed with an iron rod, or a heavy stone. It was not just one mortal hit on the head; instead, the extent of the damage on the skull was such that the killer appeared to have continued to mutilate Ismail’s head even after his death.
Since Ismail’s murder, fellow journalists have been wondering why he was murdered. Ismail Malik was a very humble, harmless and honest person. He never had any enmity, personal or family, with anyone. Ismail Malik was a very jolly man, always trying to amuse his colleagues—who have known him for over two decades in the profession of journalism. How could such a person be murdered so brutally?
Sad and shocked, hundreds of journalists from Rawalpindi and Islamabad gathered outside the offices of Dawn at Zero Point by evening of the same day Ismail was murdered, and offered Namaz-e-Janaza. The Police officials had also by then declared that their efforts to nab the murder(s) of Ismail were already in full gear.
The same day, a delegation of the Press Club met Interior Secretary Syed Kemal Shah, who assured the delegates that a joint team of the Federal Police and FIA had started to investigate the case, and that the culprits would be nabbed “soon.” Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also directed the Police and FIA to settle the case on an urgent basis.
The investigations conducted by the FIA revealed that the murder actually took place near the scavenger’s tent located in the bushy area close to Super Market. It was the 18 years old scavenger, Muhammad Shafiq, who first informed the Police that a dead body was lying in front of his tent. The Police arrested the scavenger.
Illegal Venture
Interestingly, FIA sources also reveal that during investigations Muhammad Shafiq confessed to running an illegal venture, selling drugs and alcohol, and, for that, he was bribing both CDA and Police officials. He also confessed to giving a monthly amount of Rs10,000 to various police officials at the Kohsar Police Station, whose names he disclosed to the FIA investigating team. The FIA team also discovered some empty bottles of alcohol from the tent.
The accused, Muhammad Shafiq, also told the investigating team that he had never seen Ismail Malik visiting the area around his tent; and that, each day, after finishing the work, he left the tent at 4 pm. He said when he came back to the tent on November 1st morning, he saw the dead body and informed the Police immediately. At one point, the Police claimed they had discovered the weapon, which was used to murder the journalist.
With the help of Police and FIA sources, and through its own investigations, Weekly Pulse was able to establish that the scavenger’s tent was an illegal outfit in the middle of the bushes near Super Market, and that in its guise, a dirty drug and alcohol selling venture was in operation. These investigations also indicated that the place had become a den of criminals that was set up at an illegal business spot, and that, without police protection or bribing CDA officials, it could not have existed.
CDA and Police Involvement
It is no surprise, therefore, that as soon as the accused Muhammad Shafiq confessed to the criminal activity taking place at his tent, especially the involvement of CDA and Police officials, some vested interests started to spread false propaganda regarding the case, especially defaming the personality of the late journalist. Such malicious attempts by vested interests, including Police officials, angered the journalist community in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The Police also claimed they had arrested those responsible for the murder. However, when the journalists got in touch with the head of the Police Investigation Team, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ishfaq Ahmad then, he denied having arrested anyone. According to him, the investigations into the murder case were still going on. The SHO of Kohsar Police Station, Khuda Satti, also denied having arrested anyone.
Some CDA officials, requesting anonymity, then suspected that some hidden hands may be trying to cover up the case. Sources in the FIA also didn’t rule out the possibility of such hands attempting to complicate the matter, by shifting the focus of investigation towards a wrong direction.
The FIA proceeded with its own investigations. A blame game began within the CDA then when the DMA Section of the Authority blamed its Enforcement Directorate for allowing an illegal scavenger’s tent to operate in the bushy area of the Federal Capital’s F-6 Sector. The DMA had stopped issuing licenses for such tents in 1992, and only street hawkers were allowed to operate such businesses.
Terrorizing Impact
As for the journalistic community in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, its level of frustration is growing with each passing day. In the absence of speedy outcome of the case—especially vis-à-vis the varied mysteries revolving the circumstances in which the murder took place and the motives of the culprits—journalistic frustration can turn into an outpour of anger. The same may have a growing terrorizing impact on the journalistic community.
Copyright © 2007 Pulse Inc. All rights reserved.
The missing pillar
By Sheikh Waheed November 01, 2007
It is said that there are four pillars of state. If a single pillar collapses the whole structure of state comes crashing down. Media is counted as the fourth pillar. For the past many years efforts have been made to damage it.
Media plays a key role in creating awareness amongst the masses and educating people about the truth. Unfortunately besides media all other pillars of the state have been strengthened through legislation and whenever efforts were made to strengthen media hidden hands in one way or other put things in limbo.
Years pass by without any productive outcome. Things have changed for the worse as earlier it was just the financial constraints but today a journalist is subject to threats, murder and other such crimes.
According to a report of an international institution in the past few years some 25 journalists have been murdered in Pakistan. Cases of many of these brutal murders have been closed by the police. Of the many martyrs in the way of freedom of press is Ismail Malik.
Mr Malik served journalism for 31 long years. Against all odds he raised his voice for the cause of truth and justice. Whichever institution he served he served it with thorough professionalism and worked day and night for its development and progress. He rendered his duties diligently and responsibly as a member of the society and senior journalist.
On the night of October 31, 2006 unidentified attackers killed the veteran journalist near Super Market in the federal capital. The news of the killing of Ismail Malik spread like wild fire and the journalist community was left in a state of shock and fear. Every journalist that heard about the death of Ismail rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Islamabad. At the hospital all journalists including President Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press Club Mushtaq Minhas and Secretary-General Afzal Butt stood with vacant eyes staring at each other as if inquiring about the future of freedom of press in the country.
Ismail Malik was a journalist who didn’t carry any grudge against anyone. Many assembly members belonging to both government and opposition benches expressed their condolences and most reached Pims after hearing the news of the tragic incident.
The government members included Mohammad Ali Durrani, Ghulam Sarwar, Tariq Azeem and others. They assured the journalists that the murderers would be nabbed and brought to justice. The government formed a commission comprising SHO and SP Investigations Kohsar Police Station and journalists. Sub-Inspector (Investigations) Kohsar Police Station Mohammad Hussain was handed over the responsibility of investigating the case.
Police following ‘normal practice’ took into custody a youth, Mohammad Shafiq, who worked at a junkyard near the place where the body of Ismail Malik was found and started investigations. The so-called investigations didn’t result in any fruitful outcome. The results of the investigations were also not made public.
Ismail Malik received severe blows on his head and right eye. The postmortem report revealed that the death occurred due to the blows to the head, which resulted in fracture of the skull bone. Police keeping this in view started searching for the sharp object that was possibly used in the murder.
According to police latest scientific techniques had been employed for carrying out the investigations and that the investigations were about to be completed. The police claim that soon the culprits would be brought to justice.
The federal government on one hand had directed the police to carry out investigations into the gruesome murder while on the other it had formed a special team of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under Assistant Director Nasrullah Gondal. The FIA team was directed to collect samples and evidence from the site of the incident.
During this period the police also continued with its investigations but in spite of everything the murderers are still at large. Whenever journalists inquired from the police about any development in the investigations the police resorted to mud-slinging at late Ismail Malik.
After strong protest by journalists the police withdrew from the accusations that it had hurled at Ismail Malik. They maintained that investigations are underway and final outcome will come soon. The investigation officer of Kohsar Police Station, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Hussain, never bothered to brief mediapersons about any progress in the case.
The FIA’s special team carried out a detail investigation about the profile of Ismail Malik and collected samples from the site of the incident. They got the mobile phone data of Ismail Malik for a month’s period. The team investigated one of his office employee and gathered personal record of the deceased journalist, his office employees and servants. But a final outcome of the investigations has yet to be seen.
FIA sources state that they have completed investigations into Mr Malik’s murder case and they have submitted their report to police authorities.
Printer friendly page Send this story to a friend
Section: Journalism/Media
Ismail Malik Awaits Justice
By Pulse November 01, 2007
Even after a year has passed when senior journalist Ismail Malik was murdered in Islamabad, the Federal Police have failed to arrest the murderers. Since then the journalist community has been protesting against the Police failure and negligence but to little vain.
Ismail Malik, Resident Editor of Pakistan Press International (PPI) news agency, was brutally murdered outside a scavenger’s tent in the bushy area close to Super Market at midnight, October 31-November 1. According to already published reports, Ismail attended a Turkish Reception on the 31st night, returned to his office located in Super Market, and then, at around, 9:30 pm, went out for walk—never to return again. He lived alone in the office premises; so, nobody went out at night to look for him.
It was only on November 1st morning that the scavenger, according to Police information, found Ismail dead outside his tent inside the bushes. The disclosure was made public at around 8:30 am—the news spread like wild fire in the twin cities. The Police sent the corpse for post-mortem at Islamabad’s main government hospital—Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences—where scores of journalists, police and government officials later gathered for further information regarding the murder and to express their collective horror on the unfortunate incident.
A Brutal Murder
The brutal manner in which Ismail was murdered was enough to shock, enrage and even scare his fellow journalists. Those who have seen Ismail’s dead body say that his skull was virtually crushed with an iron rod, or a heavy stone. It was not just one mortal hit on the head; instead, the extent of the damage on the skull was such that the killer appeared to have continued to mutilate Ismail’s head even after his death.
Since Ismail’s murder, fellow journalists have been wondering why he was murdered. Ismail Malik was a very humble, harmless and honest person. He never had any enmity, personal or family, with anyone. Ismail Malik was a very jolly man, always trying to amuse his colleagues—who have known him for over two decades in the profession of journalism. How could such a person be murdered so brutally?
Sad and shocked, hundreds of journalists from Rawalpindi and Islamabad gathered outside the offices of Dawn at Zero Point by evening of the same day Ismail was murdered, and offered Namaz-e-Janaza. The Police officials had also by then declared that their efforts to nab the murder(s) of Ismail were already in full gear.
The same day, a delegation of the Press Club met Interior Secretary Syed Kemal Shah, who assured the delegates that a joint team of the Federal Police and FIA had started to investigate the case, and that the culprits would be nabbed “soon.” Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also directed the Police and FIA to settle the case on an urgent basis.
The investigations conducted by the FIA revealed that the murder actually took place near the scavenger’s tent located in the bushy area close to Super Market. It was the 18 years old scavenger, Muhammad Shafiq, who first informed the Police that a dead body was lying in front of his tent. The Police arrested the scavenger.
Illegal Venture
Interestingly, FIA sources also reveal that during investigations Muhammad Shafiq confessed to running an illegal venture, selling drugs and alcohol, and, for that, he was bribing both CDA and Police officials. He also confessed to giving a monthly amount of Rs10,000 to various police officials at the Kohsar Police Station, whose names he disclosed to the FIA investigating team. The FIA team also discovered some empty bottles of alcohol from the tent.
The accused, Muhammad Shafiq, also told the investigating team that he had never seen Ismail Malik visiting the area around his tent; and that, each day, after finishing the work, he left the tent at 4 pm. He said when he came back to the tent on November 1st morning, he saw the dead body and informed the Police immediately. At one point, the Police claimed they had discovered the weapon, which was used to murder the journalist.
With the help of Police and FIA sources, and through its own investigations, Weekly Pulse was able to establish that the scavenger’s tent was an illegal outfit in the middle of the bushes near Super Market, and that in its guise, a dirty drug and alcohol selling venture was in operation. These investigations also indicated that the place had become a den of criminals that was set up at an illegal business spot, and that, without police protection or bribing CDA officials, it could not have existed.
CDA and Police Involvement
It is no surprise, therefore, that as soon as the accused Muhammad Shafiq confessed to the criminal activity taking place at his tent, especially the involvement of CDA and Police officials, some vested interests started to spread false propaganda regarding the case, especially defaming the personality of the late journalist. Such malicious attempts by vested interests, including Police officials, angered the journalist community in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The Police also claimed they had arrested those responsible for the murder. However, when the journalists got in touch with the head of the Police Investigation Team, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ishfaq Ahmad then, he denied having arrested anyone. According to him, the investigations into the murder case were still going on. The SHO of Kohsar Police Station, Khuda Satti, also denied having arrested anyone.
Some CDA officials, requesting anonymity, then suspected that some hidden hands may be trying to cover up the case. Sources in the FIA also didn’t rule out the possibility of such hands attempting to complicate the matter, by shifting the focus of investigation towards a wrong direction.
The FIA proceeded with its own investigations. A blame game began within the CDA then when the DMA Section of the Authority blamed its Enforcement Directorate for allowing an illegal scavenger’s tent to operate in the bushy area of the Federal Capital’s F-6 Sector. The DMA had stopped issuing licenses for such tents in 1992, and only street hawkers were allowed to operate such businesses.
Terrorizing Impact
As for the journalistic community in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, its level of frustration is growing with each passing day. In the absence of speedy outcome of the case—especially vis-à-vis the varied mysteries revolving the circumstances in which the murder took place and the motives of the culprits—journalistic frustration can turn into an outpour of anger. The same may have a growing terrorizing impact on the journalistic community.
Copyright © 2007 Pulse Inc. All rights reserved.
The missing pillar
By Sheikh Waheed November 01, 2007
It is said that there are four pillars of state. If a single pillar collapses the whole structure of state comes crashing down. Media is counted as the fourth pillar. For the past many years efforts have been made to damage it.
Media plays a key role in creating awareness amongst the masses and educating people about the truth. Unfortunately besides media all other pillars of the state have been strengthened through legislation and whenever efforts were made to strengthen media hidden hands in one way or other put things in limbo.
Years pass by without any productive outcome. Things have changed for the worse as earlier it was just the financial constraints but today a journalist is subject to threats, murder and other such crimes.
According to a report of an international institution in the past few years some 25 journalists have been murdered in Pakistan. Cases of many of these brutal murders have been closed by the police. Of the many martyrs in the way of freedom of press is Ismail Malik.
Mr Malik served journalism for 31 long years. Against all odds he raised his voice for the cause of truth and justice. Whichever institution he served he served it with thorough professionalism and worked day and night for its development and progress. He rendered his duties diligently and responsibly as a member of the society and senior journalist.
On the night of October 31, 2006 unidentified attackers killed the veteran journalist near Super Market in the federal capital. The news of the killing of Ismail Malik spread like wild fire and the journalist community was left in a state of shock and fear. Every journalist that heard about the death of Ismail rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Islamabad. At the hospital all journalists including President Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press Club Mushtaq Minhas and Secretary-General Afzal Butt stood with vacant eyes staring at each other as if inquiring about the future of freedom of press in the country.
Ismail Malik was a journalist who didn’t carry any grudge against anyone. Many assembly members belonging to both government and opposition benches expressed their condolences and most reached Pims after hearing the news of the tragic incident.
The government members included Mohammad Ali Durrani, Ghulam Sarwar, Tariq Azeem and others. They assured the journalists that the murderers would be nabbed and brought to justice. The government formed a commission comprising SHO and SP Investigations Kohsar Police Station and journalists. Sub-Inspector (Investigations) Kohsar Police Station Mohammad Hussain was handed over the responsibility of investigating the case.
Police following ‘normal practice’ took into custody a youth, Mohammad Shafiq, who worked at a junkyard near the place where the body of Ismail Malik was found and started investigations. The so-called investigations didn’t result in any fruitful outcome. The results of the investigations were also not made public.
Ismail Malik received severe blows on his head and right eye. The postmortem report revealed that the death occurred due to the blows to the head, which resulted in fracture of the skull bone. Police keeping this in view started searching for the sharp object that was possibly used in the murder.
According to police latest scientific techniques had been employed for carrying out the investigations and that the investigations were about to be completed. The police claim that soon the culprits would be brought to justice.
The federal government on one hand had directed the police to carry out investigations into the gruesome murder while on the other it had formed a special team of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under Assistant Director Nasrullah Gondal. The FIA team was directed to collect samples and evidence from the site of the incident.
During this period the police also continued with its investigations but in spite of everything the murderers are still at large. Whenever journalists inquired from the police about any development in the investigations the police resorted to mud-slinging at late Ismail Malik.
After strong protest by journalists the police withdrew from the accusations that it had hurled at Ismail Malik. They maintained that investigations are underway and final outcome will come soon. The investigation officer of Kohsar Police Station, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Hussain, never bothered to brief mediapersons about any progress in the case.
The FIA’s special team carried out a detail investigation about the profile of Ismail Malik and collected samples from the site of the incident. They got the mobile phone data of Ismail Malik for a month’s period. The team investigated one of his office employee and gathered personal record of the deceased journalist, his office employees and servants. But a final outcome of the investigations has yet to be seen.
FIA sources state that they have completed investigations into Mr Malik’s murder case and they have submitted their report to police authorities.
Printer friendly page Send this story to a friend
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
