Taliban ambush Express TV van, kill three
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 18 January 2014 | JP Staff Reporter
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A Taliban ambush in Karachi resulted in the deaths of three employees of Express News Television. This incident marks a concerning trend of violence against media personnel in Pakistan.Summary
KARACHI: Three Express News Television staff members were shot dead on Friday by motorcycle-riding gunmen who ambushed a stationary DSNG van in Karachi, tribune.com.pk reported.
Driver Muhammad Khalid, technician Waqas Aziz, and security guard Muhammad Ashraf died within moments of the incident.
This was the third attack on the Express Media Group. In the first two attacks in August and December, the group's Karachi offices were targeted.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a live telephone call from Afghanistan to Express News anchor Javed Chaudhry.
“We accept responsibility. I would like to present some of its reasons: At present, Pakistani media is playing the role of (enemies and spread) venomous propaganda against Tehreek-e-Taliban. They have assumed the (role of) opposition. We had intimated the media earlier and warn it once again that (they must) side with us in this venomous propaganda,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said.
“We have warned Express News a number of times. I have contacted Express News myself and conveyed to them our grievances,” he added.
KEY POINTS:
- Three Express News staff killed in Karachi ambush
- Attack executed by motorcycle-riding gunmen
- TTP claims responsibility in a phone call
- This is the third attack on the Express Media Group
- Increasing threats against Pakistani media outlets
