The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the brutal murder of the younger brother of BBC correspondent based in the troubled tribal areas of Wazirstan.
The PFUJ appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the murder since it doesn't expect any action from the government. According to details available to PFUJ, Taimur Khan, brother of BBC Urdu service correspondent, Dilawar Khan, was kidnapped on Tuesday and was killed after torture. He was found in an unconscious condition with torture marks all over his body.
PFUJ President Pervez Shaukat and Secretary General Mazhar Abbas in a joint statement on Thursday said there was a strong possibility by killing Taimur, the assailants have given message to Dilwar for his reporting.
Dilawar has been under threat for the last two years and his house was also attacked. He was facing the danger particularly since the kidnapping and murder of fellow journalist Hayatullah Khan, whose body was found last month, six months after he was abducted.
PFUJ leaders expressed the hope that Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would take suo motu note of this brutal act and would issue necessary directives to the authorities to arrest the killers.
They also demanded of the CJP to ensure that the inquiry report of Hayatullah Khan, conducted by the Peshawar High Court judge and which was held in-camera, despite PFUJ's strong reservations, should be made public.
PFUJ leaders believe that Wazirstan is the most dangerous area for reporting and paid tribute to those four journalists, who have lost their lives while performing their professional duties.
PFUJ urged the newspaper management to provide complete insurance cover to their correspondents and even to stingers and increase their salaries. Those reporting from these areas are courageous journalists, and must be given all kind of protection.