LAHORE, Dec 18: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed its concern over the threats posed to media professionals from both official and other quarters.

Referring to the complaint of The News, Islamabad, Editor Kamran Rahmat regarding harassment by unknown persons on last Wednesday, HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir said the incident was extremely alarming particularly against the backdrop of increasing cases of `picking up’ or intimidation of media professionals.

Apparently the authorities were determined to use any means available to them to muzzle the media. In 2006 alone at least four journalists had been killed and HRCP had received complaints of harassment from at least 20 others. Some professionals like Munir Mangi remained missing. In almost all the reported cases, those responsible for targeting journalists had gone unpunished which could only encourage others who wished to follow a similar line of action. In addition, proposed laws threatened to clamp down on what liberties the press enjoyed.

The HRCP chairperson once more reminded the authorities that it fell amongst the primary duties of the state to protect citizens and ensure that the journalists could safely perform their professional duties.

The persons who followed Mr Rahmat from his office to his home in two cars and acted in a threatening manner must be tracked down and identified. It was unfortunate that this had not happened even several days after the incident despite the fact that he was able to note down the number of one of the vehicles.

The government policy of denying responsibility for harassment of journalists would satisfy no one, because in any event the authorities had a duty to apprehend anyone guilty of such criminal acts.