Pakistani journalist tortured found lifeless

12 October 2011

Journalist tortured in "targeted killing 

 

"The lifeless body of Faisal Qureshi, a Pakistani journalist who wrote for British online publication "The London Post", was found in his Lahore home on 7 October, report the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The 28-year-old's throat had been slit and his body bore signs of torture, the organisations report. Qureshi's brother, Zahid, says the journalist had received death threats from men who said they were from the Muttahida Quami Movement, Pakistan's third-largest political party. "The London Post" had published a series of articles investigating the MQM's links to terrorism and murder and calling into question the suspicious travel activities of its exiled London-based leader.

CPJ called Pakistan "the deadliest country in the world in 2010," and noted it "ranked 10th on CPJ's global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are regularly slain and authorities fail to solve the crimes."

Also pointing out the danger for journalists in Pakistan, RSF said, "This year, journalists have been threatened, attacked, kidnapped, tortured and murdered by religious extremists, Taliban, separatists, security agencies, soldiers, police and political movements."

In 2011, at least eight journalists have been killed in Pakistan in retribution for their reporting, RSF says.


Source : IFEX