KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Afghanistan Journalists Safety Organization (AJSO), a media watchdog, has expressed concern about the safety and security of Afghan journalists in Pakistan, calling for the protection of journalists and media workers in the country.
In a statement on Monday, September 16, AJSO reported that Abdul Aziz Sakhizada, a former reporter for the local outlet Ariana News, was recently attacked and injured by unknown armed men in Pakistan.
The journalist was reportedly shot in the head near his residence in Islamabad, the capital city, on Sunday evening, September 15. He was then immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The journalist wrote on his Facebook page on Friday, “It was 10 p.m. yesterday when I left the house. I hadn’t gone far when I was shot in the head. The doctors have since removed the bullet, and I am feeling better now.”
The motive behind the incident remains unknown, and the perpetrators have not yet been identified.
In its statement, the media watchdog strongly condemned the incident, urging Pakistani authorities to investigate, identify the perpetrators, and ensure they are prosecuted according to the law.
It also urged the international community and journalist support organizations to work together to enhance the security of Afghan journalists in Pakistan.
“We call on embassies where journalists’ cases are registered to accelerate the processing of their cases. To protect their security, it is essential that journalists are quickly relocated to safe countries, where they are safe from threats to their lives,” AJSO said.
This is the latest incident involving an Afghan journalist being attacked by armed men in Pakistan. Earlier in April, Ahmad Hanayish, a reporter for Radio Free Europe, was attacked and severely injured by unknown assailants in Islamabad.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, hundreds of Afghan journalists and media workers who feel unsafe have fled the country, primarily to neighboring Iran and Pakistan.
The repeated attacks on Afghan journalists in Pakistan have raised serious concerns about their safety and well-being, adding to the mounting challenges they face in the country, such as uncertainty, unemployment, and the threat of forced deportation.
