11th death anniversary of journalist Musa Khankhel marked

MINGORA: The members of the civil society and journalists on Tuesday paid glowing tributes to Musa Khankhel on his 11th death anniversary.

District Police Officer Syed Ashfaq Anwar was the chief guest on the occasion while a large number of journalists, civil society members, educationists, traders, political activists and youth also participated in the event.

Musa Khankhel was martyred by unidentified persons on 18 February, 2009 while performing his duty in Matta tehsil in the Swat district.

The speakers said that he was a bold and sincere journalist, who did not hesitate to perform his professional duty during the militancy period.

“He was among those journalists, who performed his duty fearlessly during the militancy. Apart from him, three more journalists were also martyred during that period but unfortunately government did not acknowledge their martyrdom,” said Niaz Ahmad Khan, a journalist, adding that a journalist award should be initiated in his name for the journalists of Swat.

Mehboob Ali, another journalist, said that Musa Khankhel was not dead but alive spiritually and he would always be in the hearts and minds of Swati people.

Another journalist Sherin Zada said that February 18 was the painful day for him as Musa Khankhel was his close friend. Rahmat Ali Khanji, a journalist, said that practicing journalism in Pakistan was a hard job and the martyrdom of the four journalists, including Musa Khankhel, during the mayhem was the evidence of it.

The speakers said that more than 3500 persons were martyred during militancy in Swat, adding that peace was restored to Swat due to their martyrdom. “The journalists played a key role in the restoration of peace,” said Ibne Amin, district Swat information officer. Swat Press Club Chairman Shahzad Alam said that Musa Khan Khel was the pride for the journalists and people of Swat. Swat traders’ federation president Abdur Rahim Khan said that all the people of Swat were obliged to the journalist community who highlighted the issues bravely during militancy.