ISLAMABAD: Rallies and demonstrations were staged across Pakistan as slogans were raised for freedom of speech to mark the World Press Freedom Day on Saturday.
Amnesty International has also released a report on the plight of journalists in Pakistan. The title of the report is “A bullet has been chosen for you”.
“Pakistan has become a dangerous country for journalists” – a clichéd expression that has now become a bitter reality. A total of 34 journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty since 2008.
Only weeks ago a very well known veteran journalist and Geo News anchorperson Hamid Mir took six bullets as attackers made an assassination attempt on him while he was on his way to Karachi studio from the airport. However, with the grace of Allah Almighty, his life was saved.
People associated with media in Pakistan are increasingly exposed to a number of threats. Sometimes reporting matters relating to national security annoys intelligence agencies while on other occasions the journalists end up falling behind the crosshairs of extremists.
Sometimes an investigative report brings a frown on a politician’s face and some other times a religious party finds it hard to digest a bitter truth. In almost all such instances, the one who becomes target of the fury and wrath is a journalist.