PAKISTAN.— The United Nations has urged the Pakistani Government to investigate numerous reports of abductions, disappearances and extrajudicial killings of journalists.
Just last week, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights received a report on the disappearance of journalist, Rehmatullah. Just three days later the murder of Munir Shakir, a journalist in the western province of Balochistan was reported dead.
Spokesperson for the OHCHR, Rupert Colville made the statement, “We are very concerned that such incidents are not abating in Pakistan. We call on all responsible parties to immediately stop such violations of human rights, and we urge the Government to take immediate steps to independently investigate these cases.”
Pakistan is currently one of the most dangerous locations for journalists and reporters, up to 16 journalists were reported to have been killed in 2010.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), reported nine journalists to have already been killed in Pakistan so far this year.
Coleville claims that in the first four months of 2011, nearly 25 people were the target of extrajudicial killings in Balochistan, including journalists, students and human rights advocates.
Pakistan’s human rights commission issued a report in June documenting 143 cases of disappearances in Balochistan, from January to May of this year. According to the report, 140 missing persons were found dead in Balochistan between July 2010 and May 2011.
August 19, 2011
Middle East, Pakistan