MINGORA, Nov 9: A journalist was killed after security forces personnel allegedly fired on his vehicle while he was returning home from a hospital on Saturday night. The death of Qari Shoaib, who worked for an Urdu newspaper, sparked protests and local journalists held a demonstration on Sunday.

Qari Shoaib was returning home from the hospital where his daughter is under treatment when his car came under fire near Green Chowk. He suffered serious injuries and died soon after. He was laid to rest at his ancestral Ushu village in Kalam Area. Qari Shoaib has left behind two wives, three daughters and a son.

He is the third journalist killed in Swat this year. On Feb 29, Sirajuddin Khan, was killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral on Feb 29, killing 42 people.

Another journalist, Abdul Aziz, was killed when PAF jets bombed a militants’ hideout in Peuchar Valley on Aug 29. Mr Aziz had been kidnapped a few days earlier by the Taliban.

An emergency meeting of journalists was held at the Press Club here. It was attended by members of the Mingora Union of Journalists and Swat Union of Journalists. They condemned the incident as a targeted killing and demanded an independent inquiry.

The meeting was addressed by chief organiser of the Swat Press Club, Ghulam Farooq, chairman Salahuddin, general secretary Fazal Raheem, Swat Union of Journalist president Rasheed Iqbal and Mingora Union of Journalist president Syed Shahabuddin.

The protesters marched to the Circuit House, holding banners and placards with slogans demanding protection of journalists and arrest of the killers.

Later, a four-member committee Ghulam Farooq, Mumtaz Ahmad Sadiq, Ghafoor Khan and Rasheed Iqbal met Brigadier Iqbal at the Circuit House and urged him to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) announced that a black day would be observed against the killing of Qari Muhammad Shoaib.

Addressing the journalists in Swat by telephone, PFUJ secretary general Mazhar Abbas condemned the killing and said that he would raise the issue in national and international forums.

He said that the PFUJ would urge the federal information minister to order an impartial inquiry into the murder.