Three years on, family of murdered journalist Ijaz Mengal awaits justice

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 February 2017

The murder of journalist Ijaz Mengal remains unresolved three years later. His family and colleagues face ongoing threats and a lack of police action.

Summary

KHUZDAR – Three years after the cold-blooded murder of journalist Ijaz Mengal, the killers remain free and his family awaits justice.

Ijaz, was gunned down on February 14, 2014 in Khuzdar, Balochistan when on his bike on the RCD Road.

His elder brother, Riaz Mengal, an ex-president of Khuzdar Press Club and a senior journalist told JournalismPakistan.com Sunday that police and the provincial government had done nothing significant to arrest the murderers.

Khuzdar has been termed a graveyard of journalists where eight media persons have been killed in as many years.

Riaz was kidnapped in October 2007 because of his work. He however, managed to escape after 56 days in captivity. He continued to receive death threats and later had to flee his home town along with his family.

Riaz regretted that none of journalists’ killers in Khuzdar has been arrested. "Our families remain in constant fear," he said.

KEY POINTS:

• Ijaz Mengal was murdered on February 14, 2014 in Khuzdar, Balochistan.
• His brother Riaz Mengal expresses frustration over the lack of justice.
• Khuzdar has seen eight journalists murdered in recent years.
• Riaz Mengal was previously kidnapped for his work but escaped.
• The local media community remains in constant fear of more violence.