JournalismPakistan.com | Published October 16, 2017
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD – A tribal journalist was abducted Sunday by armed gunmen while another was unaccounted for, Freedom Network reported Monday.
The network said Shah Nawaz Tarakzai (pictured, left) was kidnapped from a media center and Islam Gul Afridi (pictured, right) remains unaccounted for since Sunday. He last spoke to his chief editor the same day.
“The enforced disappearance of two journalists is a great cause of concern and we demand that both the civilian and military authorities should make safe recovery of both Tarkzai and Afridi,” Freedom Network said in a media alert.
“Both Shah Nawaz and Islam Gul are professional journalists and their disappearance in such fashion is disrespect to the state and government of Pakistan’s commitment to upholding freedom of press and freedom of expression,”
Shah Nawaz is associated with Prague-based Pushto-language Mashaal Radio while Islam Gul writes for online newspaper Waziristan Times.
Shah Nawaz’s brother Aftab Mohmand said: “They (gunmen) asked Shah Nawaz to accompany them to a police station for some investigation purpose and my brother did not hesitate although he was not taken to Shabqadar Police Station instead eyewitnesses say they drove him in Peshawar (district) direction.”
FN reported that the missing journalist was busy sending a report to his network when the armed men entered the Media Center in Shabqadar in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The abductors told two journalists on the spot that they should not report the disappearance of Shah Nawaz and “stay silent,” FN quoted Aftab as saying.
Islam Gul who spoke to his chief editor Farooq Mehsud on October 14 told him he had received a call from an unknown number. “I want to inform you about this call.”
Gul’s number remains switched off since then and there has been no contact, FN said. - A Freedom Network media alert/Photos: Freedom Network
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.