Washington: Following the death of Pakistani reporter Malik Hassan Zaib, who was killed last week in a deliberate attack in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the US State Department has emphasized the need to protect journalists everywhere.
Zaib was in a car with his brother when two unidentified attackers on a motorbike stopped and shot him dead on the spot. According to the International Press Institute, Zaib was the eighth journalist to be assassinated in Pakistan since the beginning of 2024.
After surviving the attack, his brother reported the occurrence through a first information report (FIR). It’s unclear why the 40-year-old journalist was killed.
Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department Vedant Patel stated on Thursday that “journalists need to be protected and they need to be allowed to do their jobs, whether that be in the United States, whether that be in Pakistan, or whether that be in the Gaza Strip.”
When he was questioned about Zaib’s passing at a news conference, he responded.
“That is something that we feel strongly, and it’s something that is deeply personal to the Secretary [Antony Blinken],” he said.
“Obviously, since we spend the majority of our days interacting with you all, it’s personal to us and our team. To put it plainly, however, journalists must be safeguarded and allowed to carry out their duties,” Patel continued.
