ISLAMABAD: Journalist community working for the national and international media held candlelight vigil for Reuters’ bureau chief Maria Golovnina at the National Press Club (NPC) on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old journalist was found unconscious in her office on Monday. She was shifted to hospital where doctors pronounced her dead.

President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists-Afzal Butt Group, Afzal Butt while speaking to participants said that the journalist community was shocked by the sudden death of Ms Golovnina.

“We assure that the journalist community of Pakistan will stand by the staff of the news agency in their moment of grief,” he said.

Former president NPC Tariq Chaudhry said the journalist community of Pakistan was equally shocked by the incident. Reuters correspondent, Katharine Houreld, said that Ms Golovnina was a marvelous journalist.

She was a professional and used to give equal importance to ministers and ordinary persons.

Afzal Butt while talking to Dawn said it was the responsibility of the local community to show solidarity with the staff of the news agency. “In Pakistan a number of journalists were killed but the murderers could not be arrested,” he said.

“We have been making efforts to get the journalist safety bill passed by parliament. The bill has been prepared by a committee headed by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan. Most of the issues of journalists will be resolved if the bill is passed,” he said.

The spokesperson for Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Dr Ayesha Esani while talking to Dawn said the body of Maria was still in the mortuary of the hospital.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2015

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