KARACHI, Pakistan: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has termed the year 2014 as among the worst in a decade for Pakistani media.
It says that journalists and media workers were killed inside their offices while sitting in office van, chased and killed liked incidents were rare in the recent history of violence against journalists.
“What make the year as the worst in a decade is not only because of the rise in the number of journalists and media employees killed but the manner in which they were targeted,” the PFUJ Secretary General Khursheed Abbasi said.
The year 2014 ending with 14 killings for media in Pakistan with eight journalists and six media workers across country in various incidents targeting journalists, media workers and media houses.
In its recently released 2014 report, the union termed the incident of January 17, in Karachi and August 28 in Quetta as worst in which two journalists and four media employees were killed.
Pakistan has already been rated as among the third most dangerous countries for journalists around the World after Gaza and Syria.
The report, cited Baluchistan as the most dangerous province for working journalists, where “freedom of the Press,” does not exist and even journalists working in the newsroom feel more insecure.
The PFUJ further said that despite promises and assurances the government neither been able to arrest the assailants nor their cases were proceeded in any court of law, making lives of journalists and other media staff more and more insecure.
The journalists body feared that the year, 2015 can be a difficult year for journalists particularly for those working in the conflict areas after the reports that operation “zarb-e-azb,” likely to expand in other cities and advised Media Houses to make adequate security arrangements and also to provide 100 per cent Insurance cover, arranged safety courses and adopt code of conduct.
It has declared 2015 as the “Year of Safety for Journalists and Media Workers.”
During the year, the PFUJ will organize safety and ethical courses in all the major cities, promote ethical journalism and would try to ensure legislation to end impunity.
