THE attacks on professionals associated with the media over the past few days in Karachi and Peshawar are the most recent tragic additions to the list of journalists and other media workers who have been harmed or killed over the years in Pakistan.

Late Tuesday night, a Geo News DSNG van came under fire in Karachi, seriously injuring two men. While the driver was reported to be in stable condition, sadly satellite engineer Arshad Ali Jafri succumbed to his injuries.

A day later, in the same city, former television journalist Aftab Alam sustained fatal bullet wounds when two men on a motorcycle opened fire on him. The grief and agony of the families of these latest victims are unimaginable; and yet, there’s more.

Know more: Senior journalist loses life in Karachi gun attack

Also on Tuesday, journalist Abdul Azam Shinwari, who reports from the tribal areas, was injured when he was fired upon after an elaborate waylay procedure. One is not sure of the motive behind the attack in the case of Mr Shinwari, as the assailant chose not to kill the journalist.

However, this in no way detracts from the seriousness of the crime; in fact, it underscores the impunity with which media workers are targeted in the country, by a variety of actors.

Where shadowy elements within the state have not escaped being accused of using violence against journalists — the case of the slain Saleem Shehzad remains unresolved — other groups, from separatist elements in Balochistan to militants in the northwest, have often enough displayed their willingness to literally shoot the messenger.

The state, meanwhile, has erected for itself a pantheon of shame through its refusal to pursue such cases with vigour and alacrity.

To date, the only media person’s murder that comes to mind as having being resolved is that of Wali Khan Babar.

Media organisations, too, appear willing to sacrifice a few pawns rather than cooperate and come up with joint strategies to protect their workers. Meanwhile, intimidatory tactics continue against Pakistan’s media workers, who, it seems, have nowhere to turn.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2015

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