The South Asian Media Commission organised a consultation among senior journalists of Islamabad on the brutal murder of Saleem Shahzad at the SAFMA office. The participants expressed their deep anguish over the continued killing of journalists while reporting conflict. They expressed their deep concern over the failure to identify the culprits and bring them to justice. A majority of the participants expressed serious apprehension over the Saleem Shahzad case. The journalists’ meeting agreed on the following points:
1. All media bodies in collaboration with PFUJ and Pakistan Media Commission should evolve a joint strategy to bring the murderers of Saleem Shahzad to justice.
2. The media, human rights and other civil society organistaions, including bar associations, should form a joint committee to dig out the facts about the murder of Saleem Shahzad and make efforts to facilitate investigations and future possible prosecution of culprits.
3. The govt must form an inquiry commission to be headed by a judge of the superior courts to investigate the matter.
4. A combined delegation of media bodies will call upon the president, prime minister, COS and ISI chief to appraise them about their concerns. They will be requested to find out the culprits as soon as possible. In this regard, letters will be written to the concerned officials, including the above mentioned top bosses.
5. World media watchdog bodies will be requested to monitor the attacks on journalists in Pakistan and send their missions to this country.
6. Pakistan media commission agreed to create a site regarding Saleem Shahzad case and other cases of attacks on journalists.
7. All those journalists who receive any kind of threat must report to the Pakistan Media Commission on its website.
