Media groups condemn killing of cameraman

International media watchdogs have condemned the fatal shooting of a Pakistani cameraman earlier this week while covering a tribal feud in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh. “This murder should not go unpunished. The Pakistani police and judicial authorities must carry out a professional and impartial investigation,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based media freedom watchdog, said in a statement on Wednesday. Munir Ahmed Sangi, 30, who worked for the Sindhi-language Kawish Television Network (KTN), was shot dead on Monday afternoon while covering an armed clash between the Unar and Abro tribes near the village of Baqqapur in Sindh’s Larkana district, according to local police. Although the police said Sangi was killed in the crossfire, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said he may have been deliberately targeted. Sangi had also reportedly received threats over his coverage of alleged abuses by the provincial minister, Altaf Unar. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, has also denounced the killing of Sangi. “The death of a media colleague is sad enough, but the targeting of a media worker for performing his duty is even more shocking and is totally unacceptable,” Christopher Warren, IFJ president, said in a statement. The Federation called on Pakistani authorities to ensure the security and safety of journalists. Meanwhile, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has demanded an investigation into the incident. “We call for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death,” Ann Cooper, CPJ executive director, said in a statement in New York. “We mourn the death of our colleague Munir Ahmed Sangi, who was killed while performing his duties as a journalist,” Cooper added. Journalists from across Pakistan have condemned the killing and have staged demonstrations in the major cities of Sindh to press the authorities to identify and arrest those responsible for the killing and to give journalists better protection. Meanwhile, according to the Sindh Home Department, four people have been arrested following Sangi’s death and three police officials suspended. “While violence, intimidation and journalists’ safety remains in question, a truly independent press in Pakistan is unattainable. The government of Pakistan must take stronger measures to ensure the safety and independence of journalists and stop these ruthless and senseless attacks,” Warren noted.