Deadliest Year for Journalists: A Grim Record of Impunity and Suppression
Photo by @Ali Ahmad for ADN
By Shinwari
In 2024, Pakistan plunged deeper into a crisis for press freedom, setting a record with the tragic murders of 11 journalists within the first eight months of the year. The haunting statistic is emblematic of the nation’s catastrophic conditions for media workers, who now navigate the hazardous landscape of reporting under a cloud of fear, harassment, and, increasingly, fatal violence.[1] Pakistan’s standing as one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists has cemented further this year, with government neglect, powerful interest groups, and unchallenged violence all combining to crush freedom of speech and expression.
The latest fatality, Nisar Lehri, a dedicated 50-year-old journalist from Balochistan, was brutally shot down on September 4, targeted for his investigative work in the violence-ravaged region.[2] His murder—like many before him—went unanswered by authorities, leaving his family, colleagues, and Pakistan’s media community with yet another loss amid the country’s festering culture of impunity. Lehri’s death followed the August killing of Muhammad Bachal Ghunio, a journalist from Sindh, who similarly fell victim to an ambush in his hometown.[3]
Both men were murdered for doing their jobs: exposing corruption, reporting on crime, and advocating for transparency.
Lehri and Ghunio’s deaths highlight a disturbing pattern in Pakistan: journalists are being hunted with impunity across the country. The freedom to report, once enshrined in the country’s constitution, is now being eroded by violence from both the state and powerful, often armed, private actors. Despite Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies being widely blamed for their role in silencing dissenting voices, they are rarely held accountable for such attacks. Local feudal lords, political figures, and even government-backed militants further exploit this freedom of action, ordering violence against journalists and repressing independent voices without consequence.
Beyond targeted killings, 2024 has been a year fraught with multiple violations against the media, from threats and physical attacks to censorship and legal harassment. The Islamabad-based nonprofit, Freedom Network, has documented over 50 violations against journalists this year alone, adding weight to the growing body of evidence that suggests a coordinated effort to silence Pakistan’s press.[4]
Alarmingly, the government continues to disregard the safety of its media workers despite existing laws on journalist protection. Enacted in 2021, these laws mandate protections and establish safety commissions for media practitioners, yet they remain largely inactive, as provincial governments fail to implement them. In Sindh, where the most incidents against journalists were reported this year, the journalist protection commission has stalled, leaving reporters with little recourse or support as violence mounts.
One of the most chilling aspects of Pakistan’s current press freedom crisis is the impunity enjoyed by those targeting journalists.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has listed Pakistan among the worst offenders globally for not prosecuting perpetrators who murder journalists, a pattern that has held since the CPJ began tracking impunity in 2008.[5]
This year, CPJ ranked Pakistan as the 12th most dangerous country for journalists, with the overwhelming majority of cases going unpunished. Of the 39 journalists killed in Pakistan since 1992, only three cases have seen any semblance of accountability, and even those have been partial at best.[6]
The state, on the rare occasion it does address these heinous attacks, typically attributes them to “terrorist activities” within the country. Yet, critics argue that most of this year’s attacks occurred outside of the regions affected by insurgency and terrorism, like Punjab and Sindh.
While journalists in terrorism-impacted areas like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan face extreme risks from militants and security forces, those in relatively peaceful provinces are vulnerable to attacks ordered by powerful local politicians and industrialists.
The state’s role in suppressing freedom of expression is hardly subtle. The military-backed administration has been known to curtail internet access and social media under the guise of preventing political unrest.
Earlier this year, authorities restricted access to major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, citing technical issues that many suspect were engineered to muzzle dissent. Such censorship tactics reveal the government’s disregard for open communication and its prioritization of control over freedom.
The recent surge in journalist murders and attacks on the press has intensified a sense of helplessness within Pakistan’s media community.
As journalists increasingly look over their shoulders, wary of both government forces and local elites, many have questioned how long they can keep reporting under such hostile conditions. This desolation, however, has only emboldened some journalists, who, despite the dangers, remain dedicated to their mission of truth-telling.
Despite the growing death toll and worsening conditions, little has been done to improve journalist safety. Newsrooms, especially outside major urban centers, lack safety protocols, and journalists are rarely equipped with resources or training to handle the dangers they face.
Reporters in rural areas, often poorly compensated and unsupported, regularly report on sensitive issues, only to find themselves ensnared in violence with no backup from their employers.
Meanwhile, major news networks and agencies have offered minimal support or guidance, a fact that leaves the most vulnerable reporters—those stationed in smaller towns—isolated and unprotected.
In some cases, the sheer volume of uninvestigated murders and attacks has inspired journalists to take action into their own hands.
Organizations like Safe Journalism, formed in response to the crisis, aim to increase the conviction rate for attacks on media workers by independently monitoring investigations and pressuring authorities to take action.
Additionally, journalist bodies in Balochistan, where violence has spiked, have adopted new safety measures, such as gathering at designated locations before traveling together to high-risk areas.
The absence of an active government safety commission to oversee journalist protection has been one of the harshest betrayals felt by Pakistani journalists. Despite public statements from officials about the importance of media freedom, the reality on the ground is one of suppression and silence.
The escalating crisis in Pakistan underscores the dire need for an independent, fearless press. However, the vicious cycle of murder, impunity, and state-sanctioned repression jeopardizes this foundational democratic right. Unless both local and international pressure force the Pakistani state to take accountability seriously and uphold the rights of journalists, 2024 will stand as the deadliest and darkest year for Pakistan’s media.
Pakistan’s journalists, defiant yet outmatched by a culture of unchecked violence, are left hoping for justice that remains heartbreakingly out of reach.
Author chooses a single pseudonym. Shinwari is a freelance journalist based in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Note: The contents of the article are of sole responsibility of the author. Afghan Diaspora Network will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in the articles.
[1] https://www.geo.tv/latest/572069-2024-marks-year-of-tragedy-for-pakistani-journalists-amidst-rising-impunity
[2] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/senior-journalist-nisar-lehri-shot-dead-in-pakistan/
[3] https://cpj.org/data/people/muhammad-bachal-ghunio/
[5] https://cpj.org/2024/10/if-you-scream-no-one-will-hear-you-pakistani-journalists-report-in-fear-amid-spike-in-media-killings/
[6] https://cpj.org/2024/10/if-you-scream-no-one-will-hear-you-pakistani-journalists-report-in-fear-amid-spike-in-media-killings/
