South Waziristan journalist’s expulsion condemned

KALAYA: The journalists’ fraternity on Tuesday condemned the expulsion of a journalist from South Waziristan tribal district, saying that police and district administration had failed to provide protection to media persons.

Tribal Union of Journalists chairman Qazi Fazlullah, Orakzai Press Club president Shaheed Khan Orakzai in their statement asked the government and district administration to take action against those involved in torching the house of journalist Miraj Khalid and expelling him from his native town.

They said that Miraj Khalid was targeted when he reported an incident of torching the house of one of the rivals after a decision by a jirga despite the merger of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said that the report enraged the elders, who decided to observe a social boycott of the journalist, expel him from the district, set his house on fire and impose a fine of Rs0.5 million on him.The journalists’ leaders urged the government and district administration to take action against the responsible persons and provide protection to their colleagues.