Media Release: Pakistan              November 21, 2006

IFJ demands immediate investigation into abduction of a journalist in Pakistan 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed its relief at the release of Dilawar Khan Wazir, a BBC Urdu-language reporter and a journalist for daily Dawn, who had been missing since leaving his brother’s house in Islamabad on November 20 and was released one day later. 

The Federation has called for an immediate investigation into the abduction, and into the murder of his young brother three months earlier.

According to reports, Wazir, who could not identify his abductors, was blindfolded, harassed, physically attacked and questioned about his sources during the ordeal.

“Wazir’s terrible experience, in the context of all the recent attacks on journalists in Pakistan, is another black mark on press freedom in that country,” IFJ President Christopher Warren said.

“The IFJ is calling for an immediate investigation into who the perpetrators of this terrible attack were, and the murder of his younger brother three months earlier, and swift action to bring them to justice,” Warren said.

Wazir’s abduction comes after a string of brutal attacks and threats targeting Wazir, his family and his colleagues in recent years, which have forced Wazir to move to Dera Ismail.

In August 2006, Wazir’s 15 year-old brother, Taimur, was reportedly murdered after being abducted and tortured in Wana, South Waziristan.  The year before, Wazir’s house and a school run by his family was bombed.

In February 2005, Wazir narrowly escaped injury when the car he was travelling in was shot at, killing two journalists travelling with him.

“More needs to be done to protect Wazir and his family after so many threats and attempts on his life in recent years,” the IFJ President said.

The abduction of Wazir comes only a month after the IFJ, as the organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 115 countries, wrote to Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf to demand immediate action on journalists’ safety and press freedom in Pakistan.

“It is vital that Pakistani journalists have basic protections to ensure they can report safely, independently and freely,“ Warren said.

For more information please contact IFJ Asia Pacific +61 2 9333 0919

The IFJ represents more than 500,000 journalists in over 115 countries