Following the July 14 shooting of reporter Malik Hassan Zeb, the eighth journalist to die in Pakistan since 2024 began, the International Press Institute (IPI) global network noted that it is still extremely concerned about the rising violence against journalists in that country.
Zeb was shot dead on Sunday in the Nowshera district. According to the IPI, he and his brother were heading to the store when two unidentified attackers riding motorcycles opened fire on Zeb.
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.
“We implore the authorities to look into the reason for this homicide as soon as possible and to make sure that those who are accountable are held accountable. In a statement, IPI stated, “We reiterate our call for authorities to act decisively to protect journalists in Pakistan.”
Zeb handled city beats and health for a daily publication. In addition, he belonged to the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) and the Khyber Union of Journalists.
In a statement released in June, IPI expressed our concern about the state of press freedom and journalists’ safety in Pakistan, which has been marked by a recent wave of violence against the press and the introduction of laws and other policies that place severe restrictions on the right to free speech online and in the media.
