PESHAWAR: The gruesome assassination of a Swabi based journalist took another turn when banned Tehreek-e- Taliban Pakistan (TTP) confirmed responsibility for the killing through a spokesperson and warning other journalists to refrain from supporting government and security forces.
Haroon Khan, associated with a local Urdu newspaper and a private television channel was shot dead by unknown persons as he made his way back home following Isha (night) prayers in a local mosque. Following the incident, the victim was rushed to the District Headquarter Hospital Swabi where the doctors declared him dead.
The journalist community from all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining tribal areas condemned the killing of the fellow journalist in strong words. Khyber Union of Journalists President Saif Ul Islam Saifi denounced the killing of Haroon Khan and called upon the journalist community to arrange protest processions and rallies in this regard on Friday.
Following the call for protest, Swabi District Police Officer rushed to the site and assured early arrest of the culprits. Moreover, Mardan Police Deputy Inspector General Mohammad Alam Khan Shinwari in a press statement released Friday stated that a case has been registered against stepbrothers of the deceased journalist. The accused, according to him were on a hideout. He, however, sighted the reason of murder as a family dispute over inherited land.
Soon after police authorities launched a probe into the case, banned TTP spokesman introducing himself as Muhammad Khurasani through a statement claimed responsibility for the killing of Haroon Khan. He claimed that Khan was also working for the armed forces affiliated intelligence agencies in various ways. “Sometimes he portrayed himself as a journalist and sometimes declared himself a medical representative,” he remarked, adding that media personnel need to refrain themselves from showing support for government and security forces. Failure to do so, they will have to bear similar repercussions, he warned.
Upon the call of the Khyber Union of Journalists, journalists and other media workers staged a demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club on Friday afternoon. Amidst chanting slogans against the government and law enforcement agencies, the protesters were addressed by Saif Ul Islam, Peshawar Press Club President Alamgir Khan, and others. While expressing concern over the killing of fellow journalist Haroon Khan, the protestors demanded the government to arrest the culprits on a priority basis and compensate the family members of the deceased including his widow and children. They also urged KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to take an early notice of continued violence against the journalist community citing a recent killing of another journalist who was shot dead in a similar incident in Haripur.
Around 107 killed and over 2,000 injured or displaced journalists in terrorist and extremist-related incidents hailed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining tribal areas. So far, no concrete plan has been unfolded by the government agencies to safeguard the interests of the affected families of victim journalists.
