Pakistani reporter gunned down in tribal area

Source : Committee to Protect Journalists

New York, February 27, 2013--Pakistani authorities should immediately launch an investigation into the targeted murder of a veteran journalist who was shot dead today in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Malik Mumtaz had worked for several mainstream news outlets and had recently been elected president of the regional press club, news reports said.

Early news accounts reported that unidentified men in a car with tinted windows opened fire on Mumtaz, as he drove to his home in Miran Shah, in the main city of North Waziristan. No further details on the murder were reported.

Mumtaz, a journalist for more than 20 years, had worked for Geo News television and the daily News International in both English and Urdu, news reports said. His most recent print stories included coverage of the general violence in North Waziristan and a report on the controversial issue of a local polio vaccination program. Health workers administering polio vaccines were killed in December by militants who called the program a cover for intelligence gathering activities, news reports said.

Mumtaz's colleagues said he had received threats for his reporting in the past. Journalists working in the FATA say they are often threatened by several sources-- militant groups, criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking and arms dealing, and the Pakistani military and intelligence organizations.

A spokesman for Pakistani Taliban militants in the region denied responsibility for the murder and condemned the killing, news reports said. No group has taken responsibility for the attack.

There have been no convictions of killers of journalists in Pakistan in the last 10 years. CPJ research shows that, with 19 unsolved cases, Pakistan's record of impunity has worsened considerably. The country ranks as the 10th worst on CPJ's global Impunity Index.

"The death of a veteran journalist such as Malik Mumtaz must not go uninvestigated and unexplained," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator. "CPJ joins with Pakistani journalists in calling for a full investigation into this murder as a first step in reversing the perfect impunity with which the deaths of journalists are treated in the country."

Anti-terrorism bill introduced in Pakistan National Assembly

Source : Pakistan News

The Pakistani government introduced a stronger anti-terrorism bill in the National Assembly on Monday with bars on reviving banned groups under new names and on court bails for offences punishable with death or more than 10 years in prison. On a day the ruling Pakistan People's Party saw one of its veteran lawmakers, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, confronting it after defecting to the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N, the house also passed a toned down version of a once-controversial bill governing a defence housing authority in Islamabad, and another to set up a centre to study the impact of global...

Pakistani Calls For Prosecuting Head of Group behind Deadly Attacks

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb

Pakistani Shiites on Saturday demanded that Malik Ishaq, Leader of extremist militant group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ), be put on trial, a day after he was arrested following deadly attacks in the city of Quetta.

Ishaq was held on Friday after two recent bombings in the southwestern city that left 180 people killed and hundreds injured, sparking nationwide protests.

The outlawed militant group, linked to both Al-Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for both attacks.

"We have always been demanding arrest of all those involved in any act of sectarian violence, irrespective of their party affiliation," AFP quoted Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Leader of the Hazara Democratic Party.

"Ishaq must be brought to justice and punished for involvement in violence," he added.

Ishaq, who has been arrested before, was released by a court on bail in July 2011, even though he has been implicated in dozens of murders.

Pak activist Asma Jahangir has 'no desire' to become caretaker PM

Source : Pakistan News

Pakistani rights activist and former president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Asma Jahangir has said she had no desire to become the caretaker prime minister.

Jahangir said certain people come into power in the name of the people and then refuse to party with it.

According to the Dawn, the activist also expressed apprehensions that certain forces were trying to create chaos in the country, but added that elections would happen on time.

Jahangir also said the country's current situation was a result of the actions taken by regimes of the past.

According to the paper, she further said it would be better if retired judges did not join the caretaker set-up.

Earlier in January, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had said his party would oppose the nomination of Jahangir for caretaker prime minister. (ANI)

Demo Held against Drone Attacks outside Pakistan's Embassy in US

Source : Fars News Agency

TEHRAN (FNA)- A demonstration against drone attacks was held outside Pakistan's embassy in Washington.

According to media reports, Activists from CODEPINK, a Peace and Justice organization, and students of George Mason University staged a demonstration against drone attacks in front of Pakistan embassy in Washington, Pakistan Today reported.

Dozens of Pakistanis and US citizens participated in the protest.

The demonstrators also held meeting with Pakistan's Ambassador to US Sherry Rehman and demanded that the government of Pakistan should raise the drone attacks issue with US.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Sherry Rehman said that drone attacks are actually growing militancy in the region.