BBC man flees Quetta after threats

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 2 August 2012

Ayub Tareen, a journalist for BBC Urdu, has left Quetta due to threats from the Baloch Liberation Front. Reporters Without Borders emphasizes the need for better protection for media professionals in the region.

Summary

Reporters without Borders is concerned about the fate of Ayub Tareen, a correspondent for the BBC’s Urdu service in Quetta, the capital of the southwestern province of Balochistan, who was forced to leave the city for an undisclosed location after he was threatened by the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) on July 21. “We take these threats very seriously and urge the local authorities to improve the safety of those who work in the media,” the press freedom organization said. “We support the call by the Balochistan Union of Journalists for dialogue and mediation to settle disputes between the media and the various interest groups in the region. “Unless the authorities take firm action against those who attack the media, and deploy effective measures to ensure the safety of journalists, we fear there will be no significant progress in the coming weeks.” Tareen told Reporters without Borders yesterday he was forced to leave Quetta after the BLF accused him of partisan reporting on its political activities and threatened him. See more here

KEY POINTS:

• Ayub Tareen threatened by Baloch Liberation Front.
• Forced to flee Quetta for safety.
• Reporters Without Borders calls for improved media protection.
• Balochistan Union of Journalists requests dialogue and mediation.
• Authorities urged to act against threats to journalists.