JournalismPakistan.com | Published December 30, 2022
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ISLAMABAD—A total of seven Pakistani journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2022, including Arshad Sharif (pictured) in Kenya.
On January 24, 2022, Hasnain Shah, a crime reporter for Capital TV, was shot dead in Lahore by two men on a motorcycle. Shah, who was also a member of the Lahore Press Club, was at a traffic light when the two attackers shot him seven times and fled.
A week later, police said the journalist was killed over a financial dispute with a jeweler, as killers were paid half a million rupees for his murder.
In March 2022, a car carrying journalists, including Ziaur Rehman, was attacked by armed men in Khanewal. As attackers opened fire, one bullet hit Zia in the head. He worked as a reporter for the 7 News channel. The other journalists in the car escaped and took Zia to a hospital in Khanewal before shifting him to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. He died of his injuries on April 28.
On July 1, 2022, shooters killed Ishtiaq Sodharo, who worked for a local Sindhi weekly, in Khairpur. The following day, Iftikhar Ahmed, a reporter with the Urdu Daily Express, was killed by unknown killers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Two shooters killed Muhammad Younis, a senior journalist working for Daily Express, on August 27, 2022, in Shorkot, Punjab.
On October 10, 2022, the tragic death of Sadaf Naeem saddened everybody. A mother of two covering the long march of PTI chief Imran Khan was crushed to death near Sadhoke. Her death highlighted the reporters’ plight of working under the never-ending pressure of coming up with breaking news.
Daily Dawn maintained her death “ laid bare the pressures journalists in the field have to face, as well as the lack of professional training available to media practitioners.”
Two weeks later October 23, 2022, Pakistan was jolted by the news of Arshad Sharif’s murder in Kenya. Though the police in Kenya claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, it later became clear it was a planned targeted murder.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.