138 journalists killed in Pakistan since 1990: IFJ

Published December 12, 2020
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a ‘White Paper on Global Journalism’ listed five countries, including Pakistan and India, as the ‘Most Dangerous Countries for Practice of Journalism in the World’. — AFP/File
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a ‘White Paper on Global Journalism’ listed five countries, including Pakistan and India, as the ‘Most Dangerous Countries for Practice of Journalism in the World’. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: As the year 2020 draws to a close, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a ‘White Paper on Global Journalism’ listed five countries, including Pakistan and India, as the ‘Most Dangerous Countries for Practice of Journalism in the World’.

The white paper marks the 13th anniversary of the ‘The List of Journalists Killed (1990-2020), during which 2,658 journalists lost their lives in the line of duty. Iraq topped the list of most dangerous countries for practising journalism, as 340 journalists lost their lives there, followed by Mexico (178 journalists), the Philippines (178 journalists), Pakistan (138 journalists), and India (116 journalists).

This year the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) recorded killing of 42 journalists and media staff so far in targeted attacks, bomb blasts and cross-fire incidents in 15 countries.

In its 2020 country-wise ranking, Mexico tops the list for a fourth time in five years with 13 killings, followed by Pakistan (five), India, Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria (three each), the Philippines, Somalia and Syria (two each) while one journalist was killed in each of the six countries Cameroon, Honduras, Paraguay, Russia, Sweden and Yemen.

In the Indian sub-continent, murders of journalists in Pakistan (138) and in India (116) have featured almost every year in the list since 1990, making 40 per cent of the total deaths of journalists in the Asia Pacific region.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

‘Hybrid’ talk
22 Jun, 2025

‘Hybrid’ talk

IN the past, while most elected governments would at least publicly bristle at the mention of being partners in ...
Farcical nomination
Updated 22 Jun, 2025

Farcical nomination

Many citizens have expressed dismay and embarrassment over this symbolic capitulation to the US presidency.
Sunken dreams
22 Jun, 2025

Sunken dreams

THE heartrending fate of people escaping conflict, deprivation and instability across the globe is among the...
Tax tussles
Updated 21 Jun, 2025

Tax tussles

Lawmakers should try and fix the broken tax system rather than advocating for new amnesties.
Seniority crisis
21 Jun, 2025

Seniority crisis

THE Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court has determined that there is nothing wrong with Pakistan’s president...
Monsoon readiness
21 Jun, 2025

Monsoon readiness

OUR cities are once again staring down the very real prospect of waterlogged streets and stalled life with PMD’s...