May 30, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
Yet another journalist has fallen victim to targeted violence. Syed Muhammad Shah, a senior journalist and former president of the Garhi Khairo Press Club, was shot dead on Thursday May 29, in his native village, Syed Altaf Shah, near Garhi Khairo in Jacobabad district. This comes as the journalist community in Pakistan commemorates the death anniversary of journalist Saleem Shahzad who was found mysteriously murdered in 2011.
According to Abdul Ghani, a local journalist who spoke to Voicepk, Shah was sitting at home when his neighbor, Abdul Hussain Umrani, called him outside, saying he needed to speak with him. Shah stepped out with his young son. Umrani requested a glass of water, prompting Shah to send his son back into the house to fetch water and two chairs.
“As soon as the boy went inside, Umrani pulled out a weapon and opened fire, fatally shooting Shah,” Ghani said.
Shah is survived by his son, who has been left traumatized and unable to speak since witnessing his father’s death. The accused, Abdul Hussain, reportedly told police, he murdered Shah in the name of ‘honor’. But many journalists and observers believe that such claims—particularly in Sindh—are increasingly being used as a smokescreen to silence critical voices. The allegation of siyahkari (illicit relations) is deeply rooted in tribal customs and often goes unchallenged, making it a powerful tool to justify murder without consequence.
“In Sindh, this dangerous trend is being used to target journalists. You kill a journalist and then claim it was an honor killing. No one can intervene, not even to support the victim’s family,” said Ghani. “Journalists like A.D. Shar, Ajay Lalwani, and Jan Mohammad Mahar were also killed under similar pretexts. We believe there are hidden hands behind these killings.”
According to a spokesperson for Jacobabad police, a swift operation was launched on the orders of SSP Jacobabad. Under the supervision of DSP Garhi Khairo, the SHO of Garhi Khairo police station and a special team tracked down the accused. After a relentless chase, Abdul Hussain was arrested in an injured condition near Ahmed Khan Brohi village and was shifted to a hospital.
“The investigation will explore all angles and will be taken to its logical conclusion based on merit. Justice will be ensured for the victim’s family,” the police spokesperson said.
Pakistan remained the deadliest country in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ South Asia Press Freedom Report 2024–25 recorded seven journalist killings in Pakistan during the period from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. The country also dropped six places in the World Press Freedom Index 2025, ranking 158th.
Iqbal Khattak, Executive Director of Freedom Network, an Islamabad-based media rights organization, told Voicepk.net that the culture of impunity continues to endanger journalists across Pakistan.
“Despite the enactment of various laws at both provincial and federal levels aimed at protecting journalists, little to no results have been seen,” Khattak said. “In Sindh, a protection law was passed and a commission was formed, but it has yet to become operational in any meaningful way.”
Khattak emphasized that without collective action from the government, media organizations, and journalists themselves, justice for victims will remain elusive.
“Unless all stakeholders take serious and united action against those involved in the killing, torture, and intimidation of journalists, ensuring justice for affected families will be extremely difficult,” he said.