Zubair Ahmed Mujahid

Incident Description: Shot Dead

On 23 November, 2007, Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, correspondent of Daily Jang was gunned down by unidentified men for writing articles criticizing the situation of the poor in Mirpurkhas, Sindh. "We call on the federal and provincial authorities to quickly appoint a team of investigators to arrest the killers and identify those who ordered the murder," RSF said. "Mujahid was a committed and courageous journalist.

If impunity again prevails in this murder, all of Pakistan's journalists will feel even more threatened. This tragedy is further proof that the authorities are unable to ensure journalists' safety." Mujahid was the sixth Pakistani journalist to be killed since the start of the year. Pakistan was at the time the world's third most dangerous country for the media, after Iraq and Somalia.

Mujahid was shot in the stomach by a man on a motorcycle as he was returning home by car with Wahid Hussain, the vice-president of the Mirpur Khas Press Club. He died instantly. A veteran reporter, Mujahid wrote a weekly column for Daily Jang called Crime and Punishment in which he often criticized landowners and police. After one of his articles about the mistreatment of members of a low caste by landlords, the Supreme Court ordered the suspects be arrested.

Another of his reports led to arrests of local policemen involved in violence against villagers. "Our family does not have any family conflicts," his brother, Muhammad Iftikhar, said. "My brother wrote articles about the fate of the poor which obviously targeted influential people." The family has filed an initial complaint — an FIR — that does not name any suspects and the police have not yet made any arrests.

Mujahid's colleague, Qamaruddin, told PPF that the case is still pending; police has not identified the killers as yet. He said no one was arrested. Mujahid's son reiterated that no one had been arrested and therefore the case has not been presented in court. He said that according to police, if they arrest anyone then the case will go to court for proceedings.