Threats to Journalists: Pakistan

In January, 2012, Mukarram Khan Aatif, a reporter for VOA’s Deewa Radio, was taking part in evening prayers at a local mosque near his home in the town of Shabqadar when he was shot by unidentified gunmen. Mr. Aatif, who along with other Deewa journalists faced repeated threats from militants in the region, died of his wounds after being taken to a hospital in the city of Peshawar. A spokesman for the Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.
On July 8, 2009 a group of masked men attacked the home of VOA Deewa Radio stringer Rahman Bunairee in Bunir, Pakistan, destroying a computer, boxes and valuables before blowing up the house. The intruders claimed they were ordered to destroy the house because Bunairee works for Deewa. Militants also pursued Bunairee at his office in Karachi, where he was also bureau chief for Khyber TV.
A Taliban-owned FM station in Pakistan, “Radio Shariat,” is broadcasting warnings [as of May 2009] aimed at listeners of VOA Deewa Radio broadcasts to the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Region and Radio Ashna of VOA’s Afghanistan Service. Radio Shariat, located in the border area of Bajaur in Pakistan, says the two VOA programs have “an agenda against Islam,” are trying to show that “Taliban are terrorists,” and calls listening to the VOA broadcasts “haram” (a sin).