PAKISTAN: A US based news agency asked its correspondent to leave the job after the journalist and his family faced serious threats from local Taliban 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a journalist of a US based news agency is receiving death threats from Taliban Pakistan for writing stories on the working of some prominent religious seminaries (Madressas) who were imparting training students for suicide bombers or romanticizing the suicide attacks. The chief of the news agency-AP has asked the correspondent to leave the job as Taliban Pakistan has declared AP as an infidel organization. The bosses at USA have conveyed message to him that it would not be possible to relocate him to the US because of the policy shift in the aftermath of 9/11.

The journalist and his family have restricted their movements and are taking shelter in different places.

CASE NARRATIVE:

Mr. Ashraf Khan is a Karachi based correspondent of US based news agency- Associated Press (AP), Karachi office, Sindh province and working since five years. He was an investigative reporter and earned good reputation on his exclusive reporting particularly, on the activities of covert operations of the seminaries in the activities of Al Qaida and Taliban (both from Afghanistan and Pakistan). Because of AP news agency his stories were getting international popularity which infuriated the Taliban of Pakistan.

On 21 February, Ashraf Khan received a hand written letter, from the so called chief of the Taliban Karachi chapter, in Urdu language which threatened him that he is under watch and the letter is the first and the last warning. The translation of the letter is here;

”Ashraf Khan: Stop representing infidel media and enmity against Islam. Your every story is comprised anti-Islamic report. We have close watch on your movement. Take this letter as your first and the last warning
Abu Hamza Karachvi
27th Rabi ul Awal, 1433 H” Please find the copy of hand written threat in the link.

Ashraf Khan immediately contacted AP’s head office at Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, and informed about the written threat from Taliban Pakistan. He advised him to leave the city immediately for Islamabad along with his family. He moved to Islamabad the next day and stayed there for over a week. During his stay at Islamabad he kept in touch with the AP officials inside Pakistan and at its world headquarters at New York, USA, to find the ways and means to ensure the security of him and his family. He also told them that when the Taliban or Al Qaida threatens any person then they mean that and implement the orders according to their high command. It is any how possible to deal with the government and state intelligence in the case of threats but for Al Qaida and Taliban, according to their practices, there is no way to stop them or deal. He requested the company to facilitate him to leave the country for the US.

The irony of the whole episode is that after passing of one month AP told him to leave the company and they cannot help in providing protection to him or settling outside the country.

Last week, the chief of Pakistan office of the AP telephoned Ashraf Khan and told him that the matter had been discussed with the big bosses and it would not be possible to relocate him to the US because of the policy shift in the aftermath of 9/11. He candidly suggested that the threatening letter says that Ashraf works for AP, which is accused by the Taliban as an infidel media. So it would be safe for Ashraf if he quits. The chief of AP in Pakistan further said that AP would pay Ashraf money for his sustenance. It was very shocking for Ashraf Khan and he felt himself a very insecure while under threats from terrorists. Ashraf Khan told his superior officials of AP that the news agency’s advice is no more than an ‘economic murder’ and he would become a soft target. The AP has also not indicated him that if he leaves the company then how the AP would pay him. The office is still tight lipped on the mode of payment after he leaves the company.

The family of Ashraf Khan is in serious distress and they are paranoid and extremely suspicious of the atmosphere. Any unknown call on their cell phone puts them in anguish. The children are most victim of the whole situation and they can not attend their schools. It has become an agony for Ashraf Khan’s family who are deeply anguished about their well being as well as about the life of Ashraf Khan.

Being a victim of militant threats and unemployment Ashraf Khan cannot report this case to the police, because of company’s permission is required and secondly, if he reports then it will invite the terrorists to take revenge.

Here are links of his some of the stories which appeared at AP;

1. http://www.newsday.com/news/in-pakistan-rightwing-alliance-is-revived-1.3532443

2. http://iaoj.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/

3. http://www.pewforum.org/Religion-News/From-Pakistani-slum,-5,000-seat-church-rises,-showing-resilience-of-community-under-fire.aspx

4. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistani-liberals-cheer-as-snooping-tv-host-is-sacked-6296593.html

5. http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?100097-Firing-of-TV-host-a-victory-for-Pakistani-liberals.

Here are the links of the Anas story:

http://councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=7816.0

http://www.conflictmonitors.org/countries/pakistan/daily-briefing/archives/briefing-details/!k/2009/12/14/hardline-pakistani-schools-a-draw-for-foreigners

http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/3792764/12-14-2009_A-06.pdf.

2. The story regarding jamatud dawa can be found here: http://iaoj.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/ (The readers will have to scroll down a bit to see the story on the above link).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Pakistan has been declared by media organizations as the most dangerous country for the journalists.The security of the media persons remained a big question during the eleven months of 2011 and no proper steps have been taken to provide security by the authorities and even by the media houses. The attitude of the media houses was more indifferent towards the safety and security of journalists as compare with the authorities. The journalists who are involved in their professional duties in the conflict areas are more vulnerable and exposed before the law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non state actors. The majority of the journalists are under paid or allowed to use only ID cards of the channels they work for and have to arrange their own earnings.

During the eleven months of 2011, journalists have faced the more insecurity and intolerance when compared with previous years. Indeed, there is no change from the military dictatorships of the past. 16 journalists were killed, among them five journalists were abducted by the state intelligence agencies, kept incommunicado in different torture cells, tortured and their bullet ridden bodies were dumped on the road side. Five journalists were killed in bomb blasts while performing their professional duties, six journalists were killed in target killings. One journalist remains missing after abduction by plain clothed persons. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-184-2011/?searchterm=.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the letters to the authorities to provide protection to Ashraf Khan and his family members who are under direct threats from Taliban Pakistan. Please urge them to take action against the person who has sent him the death threat letter and resides in the Karachi. The AP, a news agency operating in Pakistan, should follow the laws of the country and file a report at police and it should also provide protection to Ashraf Khan and his family.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion calling for his intervention into this matter.

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