Pakistan faces renewed scrutiny over unsolved journalist murders
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 22 January 2026 | JP Staff Report
Join our WhatsApp channel
An 18-month international inquiry found evidence mishandling, coerced witnesses and political neglect in the 2014 killing of journalist Shan Dahar, leaving his case unresolved; rights groups urge arrests, probes and enforcement of Pakistan's safety law.Summary
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is under renewed international scrutiny as the killing of journalists continues to go unpunished, highlighting systemic failures in law enforcement and political oversight. The murder of journalist Shan Dahar in 2014 remains unresolved, despite repeated promises by authorities to protect press freedom.
New investigation exposes deep failures
An 18-month international investigation titled “Truth Denied: How Pakistani Authorities Built an Unsolvable Case” revealed severe mishandling of evidence, coercion of witnesses, and political neglect in Dahar’s case. Researchers reconstructed Dahar’s final movements using previously unexamined video and photographic evidence, exposing long-standing investigative lapses.
A symbol of Pakistan’s crisis of impunity
The investigation found that police arrests were made primarily for extortion, crucial evidence was ignored, and authorities failed to follow leads related to Dahar’s reporting on illegal medicine resale. Medical analysis confirmed Dahar died after being denied treatment for nine hours. Since 1992, not a single journalist murder in Pakistan has received full justice, with convictions in only two of 53 cases between 2012 and 2022.
Urgent call for accountability
Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders, and the Committee to Protect Journalists have urged Pakistani authorities to arrest absconding suspects, reopen independent investigations, fully enforce the 2021 journalist safety law, and collaborate with civil society monitors. Pakistan ranks 158 out of 180 countries on the 2025 RSF Press Freedom Index, reflecting persistent risks for journalists and a climate of impunity.
The investigation underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms and greater accountability to protect journalists and uphold press freedom in Pakistan.
ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders, and Committee to Protect Journalists findings.
PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only
Key Points
- An 18-month international investigation, Truth Denied, found severe evidence mishandling, witness coercion and political neglect in the 2014 murder of Shan Dahar.
- Police arrests appeared aimed at extortion, key evidence was ignored and leads about illegal medicine resale were not pursued.
- Medical analysis concluded Dahar was denied treatment for nine hours before he died.
- No journalist murder since 1992 has received full justice; only two of 53 cases from 2012-2022 led to convictions.
- Free Press Unlimited, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists call for arrests of absconding suspects, independent probes, enforcement of the 2021 safety law and civil society oversight.
Relevant Topics
Ask AI: Understand this story your way
AI EnabledDig deeper, ask anything — get instant context, background, and clarity.
Disclaimer: This feature is powered by AI and is intended to help readers explore and understand news stories more easily. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated responses may occasionally be incomplete or reflect limitations in the underlying model. This feature does not represent the editorial views of JournalismPakistan. For our full, verified reporting, please refer to the original article.
