Reporter stabbed to death in Lahore after getting threats

Reporters Without Borders condemns the murder of online newspaper reporter Faisal Qureshi, who was found with his throat slit at his Lahore home on 7 October. According to one of his brothers, he received death threats shortly before he was killed. “We are deeply shocked by this murder and offer our condolences to the victim’s family and friends,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The Lahore police must carry out a thorough investigation and, given the information available, must not neglect the probable existence of threats. “The Pakistani government cannot continue to remain passive in the face of repeated attacks on journalists, who are being targeted by many groups and organizations, some of them close to the government. This year, journalists have been threatened, attacked, kidnapped, tortured and murdered by religious extremists, Taliban, separatists, security agencies, soldiers, police and political movements. All this violence is turning Pakistan into a no-go area for the media.” Qureshi, 31, worked for The London Post, a British news website edited in London. The police found the body at 2 a.m. on 7 October. According to the police, his throat had been cut and his body bore the marks of torture. His brother, Shahid Qureshi, the newspaper’s London-based editor, said the killers took his laptop and mobile phone. Shahid Qureshi also reported that his brother had received death threats from individuals claiming to belong to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a Karachi-based political party. The London Post has published several articles about the MQM and its leader, Altaf Hussain. The MQM was accused of being responsible for the murder of Geo News TV reporter Wali Khan Babar on 13 January in Karachi. The movement denied any involvement. Pakistan’s journalist community is describing Qureshi’s death as a “targeted murder.” Azam Chaudhry, the secretary of the Lahore press club, said his murder was perpetuating the climate of violence against the media and called for the creation of a special judicial commission to investigate the case. Pakistan has been the world’s deadliest country for the media in 2011. At least eight journalists have been killed in connection with their work since the start of the year.