ISLAMABAD: Freelance reporter Asad Hashim was named as the winner of the 2018 Agence France-Presse Kate Webb Prize on Monday for his coverage of problems being faced by Pakhtuns and blasphemy issues in Pakistan.

The award, named after one of AFP’s finest correspondents, recognises journalism by locally-hired reporters in Asia operating in risky or difficult conditions.

Hashim, 33, was honoured for a series of articles on ethnic Pakhtuns and other minority groups caught in the crossfire of Pakistan’s fight against militants.

These included an investigative report into enforced disappearances and a reporting visit to the South Waziristan tribal region to look into the civilian toll from landmines. “These are challenging times for journalists in Pakistan, and Asad Hashim’s work stands out for the kind of courageous, independent reporting the Kate Webb Prize was created to recognise,” said AFP Asia-Pacific regional director Philippe Massonnet.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019