PESHAWAR, Dec 31 The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) on Monday protested against the murder of a journalist, Kamil Mashhadi, and asked the government to arrest those involved.

They also urged the provincial government to provide security to all working journalists in the restive province, so that they could focus on their duties.

The members of the KhUJ, led by union leaders and the newly-elected president of the Peshawar Press Club, marched on the Shershah Suri Road to condemn the murder of Mr Mashhadi. They were carrying placards inscribed with slogans condemning his killing.

Addressing a gathering of media personnel, the president of the Peshawar Press Club, M. Riaz, demanded a probe into the murder of Mr Mashhadi.

He said the journalists were performing their duties in all kinds of circumstances and they should be provided proper protection.

Paying homage to the slain journalist, Mr Riaz lauded Mr Mashhadi's devotion to his work and his spotless character. He said the journalists would not keep silence over the killing of their innocent colleague and would continue their protests until those involved were brought to book.

Later all those present there offered fateha for the late Mr Mashhadi.

Kamil Mashhadi, a reporter for TV-One, was killed in the jurisdiction of the Yakatoot police station. He went out of his home after receiving a phone call at his home. Afterwards, the police recovered his body from the Yakatoot area.—PPI