This Article is From Oct 05, 2014

Yaqoob Shehzad, Journalist Working With Pakistan's Express News, Shot Dead

Islamabad: A journalist working for a private TV channel was killed today in Pakistan's Punjab province by unknown gunmen, the channel said.

Yaqoob Shehzad, a news correspondent with the Express News was sitting with a friend inside an office in Gujranwala city when armed men barged in and opened fire.

The victim was hit thrice, and died on the spot while another man sitting next to him was injured.

Police rushed to the spot and collected evidence. It will also talk to the injured man once his condition is stable.

Police also plans to look into Shehzad's news reports aired in the past few days to see if he was targeted because of his work.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of murder and asked police to submit a report within 24 hours.

Express News reported that Shehzad had been working with it since the channel started.

He was also the chairperson of the city's press club.

Reporters Without Borders, an international NGO, has labeled Pakistan as the deadliest country for journalists in 2010 and 2011. A recent report by Committee to Protect Journalists has also chronicled murder of 53 journalists in the country since 1992.

Hamid Mir, a prominent news anchor was attacked in Karachi by armed militants in April this year, but he survived the attack.


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