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Senior Pakistani journalist Khawar Hussain was found dead inside a car with a gunshot wound to his head, drawing widespread condemnations from journalist organisations.
Senior Pakistani journalist Khawar Hussain. (Photo: X)
A Pakistani journalist, identified as Khawar Hussain, was found dead inside a car with a gunshot wound to his head. His body was discovered in a vehicle parked outside a restaurant on Hyderabad Road in the city of Sanghar in Sindh province on Saturday night.
Hussain was a Karachi-based correspondent for Dawn. Sanghar Senior Superintendent of Police Abid Baloch said police were still collecting evidence and were probing the cause of his death, according to Arab News.
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Baloch also confirmed that police had recovered a pistol clutched in Hussain’s hand and had also retrieved his mobile phone. However, there was no conclusive evidence that the journalist had taken his own life.
Hussain’s death drew widespread condemnations from the Karachi Press Club and senior members of the Sindh government. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the senior journalist’s death and directed the inspector general of police to assign the investigation into Hussain’s mysterious death to the province’s “best police officer”, according to government spokesperson.
Bilawal Bhutto Reacts
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed condolences and directed the provincial government to conduct a transparent inquiry into the journalist’s death.
“Journalist Khawar Hussain was a dutiful and responsible professional,” he said in an official statement. “His sudden demise is deeply saddening.”
Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jamili, Secretary Sohail Afzal Khan, and the governing body described the news of Hussain’s passing as a “highly tragic incident” and said it had left the entire journalist community in “shock and grief”.
“They demanded that the Sindh government conduct an impartial investigation to uncover the real causes and underlying motives behind his death, and take strict action against those responsible,” read a statement.
Journalists’ Safety In Pakistan
This came months after a journalist belonging to the Baloch community was shot dead before his wife and children in Pakistan’s conflict-ridden Balochistan province in May.
The journalist named Abdul Latif, who worked with Daily Intikhab and Aaj News, was a known and respected voice among the people of Balochistan and revered for his work. Baloch local news media outlets and Baloch rights groups said the killers were part of a Pakistan Army-linked militia operating in the region.
According to a report by the Pakistan-based Freedom Network last year, at least 184 incidents of violence against journalists took place in Sindh between 2018 and 2023, including 10 killings. Over the years, Pakistani journalists have often accused the state and powerful politicians of threatening, intimidating, and harassing them for covering sensitive issues.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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