Local and tribal journalists on Thursday asked the Taliban leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan to explain their position whether they were involved in killing of Mukaram Khan and other newsmen.
“No one can stop us from writing reality and we can’t be frightened into a gag by any one,” they vowed while addressing a protest against the killers of Mukaram Khan.
On a call given by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the protest demonstration was held under auspices of Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) at the premise of Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Thursday.
A large number of tribal journalists affiliated with Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) also participated in demonstration.
After registering their protest, the journalists walked out of the PPC to record their protest opposite Cantonment Railway Station.
Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the killers of the tribal journalist from Mohmand Agency, Mukaram Khan, they demanded the arrest of the killers.
While addressing the protesting journalists, PPC President Saiful Islam Saifi said Mukaram Khan kept a balanced reporting and never became controversial for any side, but his work in Voice of America (VoA) in Pashto Radio Service had resulted in his murder. “A Taliban faction has already claimed killing of Mukaram Khan,” he added.
“If the militants kill journalists by working in any American broadcast, there are many Americans here in Peshawar,” he maintained, adding that working with any US institute related to broadcast did not mean to be killed.
“We all are labourers and earning livelihood for our family members through this profession,” he said.
A senior journalist from Waziristan Agency said that there were several journalists were killed while performing their duty by unknown terrorists because they (reporters) wanted to acquaint the nation with the reality of the so-called war on terror. Yousaf Ali, general secretary of KhUJ, also expressed deep sorrows over the killing of Mukaram Khan, saying he was the 24th journalists killed across the northwest.
