PFUJ calls for end to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 8 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the gruesome killing of journalism student Mashal Khan in Mardan on April 13 and demanded an immediate investigation into the incident, and prosecution of the perpetrators to ensure justice.
Khan, 23, was lynched by a violent mob in his hostel at Wali Khan University, allegedly for uploading blasphemous content on social networking site Facebook. The police, however, have found no evidence of the alleged blasphemous content. Graphic video footage of the lynching showed Khan lying on the floor and his body which bore multiple marks of severe torture was not moving. The mob was seen kicking his lifeless body and beating it with wooden planks. He was then thrown from the second floor of the university building.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the National Assembly, the Senate and the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan have condemned the killing and police have arrested 22 people in connection with the lynching, while an investigation is ongoing.
Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan and PM Sharif in March 2017 issued an order recommending removal of blasphemous content online saying that anyone who posted such content should face strict punishment under the law. When condemning the murder, the Senate of Pakistan suggested amending the blasphemy law to improve it.
IFJ general secretary, Anthony Bellanger said: “The IFJ strongly condemns the killing of Mashal Khan, a journalism student at the Wali Khan University in Pakistan; and demands immediate investigation into the incident and prosecution to punish the culprits. The IFJ urges the Pakistan government to make necessary amendments into the laws to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future by ensuring explicit definition of blasphemous contents, and punishment to culprits in cases where blasphemy is used as a pretext to commit horrible crimes. The IFJ also expresses concerns over the overall atmosphere in Pakistan where restrictions on legitimate speech online is on the rise” - IFJ media release/Image: AFP
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
October 30, 2025: NewsOne TV remains on air but faces mass layoffs and delayed salaries, exposing Pakistan’s worsening media crisis and financial instability.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.
October 31, 2025 Radio Free Asia, a US government-funded broadcaster covering tightly controlled Asian media environments, has suspended all news operations after federal funding dried up.