Pakistan: Journalist shot and killed

Local television journalist Muhammad Bachal Ghuniyo was shot and killed in the riverine area of Rounti in Sindh's Ghotki district of Pakistan on August 26, with authorities still investigating assailants' motives. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the killing and urge a swift investigation into the murder.

Journalist Muhammad Bachal Ghuniyo was shot and killed in the riverine area of Rounti in Sindh's Ghotki district of Pakistan on August 26. Credit: Facebook

Ghuniyo, a resident of Allah Bakhsh village in the Ranoti Kacha area of Ghotki district and journalist with Awaz TV, was weeding grass from fields near his home when at least six gunmen opened fire on him, then fled the scene. His family and local residents allege that bandits from the riverine area may be involved, but police claim the killing could be due to "personal enmity" and that the journalist was killed due to an old dispute between two parties of the Ghuniyo family.

On August 27, police registered an FIR (No. 68/2024) at the Central Jewin Shah Police Station. A day later, on August 28, they arrested an alleged main suspect, a relative named Shokat Ghuniyo and claimed to have recovered the weapon used in the murder during raids and search operations at various places.

Organised criminal gangs have operated in the riverine border regions of southern Sindh and central Punjab for decades, frequently profiting from kidnappings for ransom. The military has previously initiated large-scale operations against criminal gangs in Sindh, only to have the gangs reemerge with successive governments struggling to uphold law and order in the province.

A previous attempt on the journalist's life was made two months earlier. The IFJ is continuing its investigations to verify if the murder was work related.

The PFUJ said: "The culprits should be arrested immediately, and a thorough investigation should be carried out into this attack."

The IFJ stated:"We urge a thorough investigation into the details leading up to the murder of Muhamma Bachal Ghuniyo. It is a tragedy that his murder was prefaced with earlier threats that were not investigated."