Pak journalist among 3 killed in bomb blast in restive Balochistan province
- In Reports
- 11:10 AM, May 04, 2024
- Myind Staff
Three people, including a senior journalist, lost their lives, while eight others sustained injuries in a bomb explosion directed at his car in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province on Friday.
According to a senior police official, a remote-controlled explosive device was placed near ChomrokChowk, situated on the outskirts of Khuzdar town. When Maulana Siddique Mengal, a respected journalist and the president of the Khuzdar Press Club, arrived at the location, the bomb was detonated.
“MaulanaMengal and two other passersby were killed in the blast, while eight others were injured and taken to the hospital,” he said.
Mengal, who also held a provincial position within the JamiatUlema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party and contributed to the local newspaper "Watan", was targeted in the assault. The incident occurred on the World Press Freedom Day.
A police official said that it is too early to ascertain whether Mengal was singled out due to his journalistic endeavours or his role within the JUI-F party.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir SarfarazBugti vehemently denounced the attack and instructed the Inspector General of Police to arrest the perpetrators.
The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) also staged a demonstration in protest against Mengal's assassination, urging the provincial government to swiftly arrest the perpetrators.
Balochistan has been witnessing a series of terrorist activities for several years.
In the latest incident, on Thursday, at least one person was killed and 20 others sustained injuries in dual landmine explosions near ThaikedarNaddi in the Duki district of Balochistan.
The first explosion occurred when a truck hit a landmine, followed by a second blast as people gathered at the scene.
On Friday, unknown assailants opened fire in the Kali Tarata area of Pishin district and injured two senior police officers, including a DSP and SHO.
In a similar incident in the Tump area of the district, two labourers were killed by armed men.
In 2023, Pakistan was placed 150th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), a non-profit organisation advocating for freedom of information.
According to a report by Freedom Network, an independent national media watchdog, Pakistan witnessed the murder of at least 53 journalists from 2012 to 2022. However, convictions were secured in only two of these cases.
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