Journalist killed in Mastung

QUETTA: A local journalist working for a news agency in Mastung was gunned down by armed men, on Wednesday.

According to reports, Nisar Ahmed Lehri was coming from home when armed men opened fire at him, resulting in his death him on the spot.

Police rushed to the site after receiving information and shifted the body to government Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital where doctors confirmed his death.

Police termed the killing of Nisar Lehri result of clash between Lehri tribe on the issue of land dispute. “We are investigating the incident,” a senior police officer said.

PFUJ and Balochistan Union of Journalists strongly condemned journalist Nisar Ahmed Lahri’s murder demanding the government to arrest the killers.

In separate statements issued on Tuesday, President of PFUJ Afzal Butt, Secretary General Arshad Ansari and President Balochistan Union of Journalists said that it was not the first murder of any journalist but a number of other media persons have also been killed in the province over the years, speaking volumes about the tall claims of the Balochistan government regarding protection of journalists.

The leaders of PFUJ and BUJ observed that the killing of Lehri, who was also press secretary of Sarawan Press Club Mastung, would increase the sense of fear among the media persons of the province.

“It seems remote areas of Balochistan and even main towns have become extremely unsafe for media persons. Butt and Ansari said had the government arrested the killers of journalists murdered in the past and handed down exemplary punishment to them, this incident could have been prevented.