A year after the abduction and murder of Pakistani investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad, little has been done to investigate the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and their possible involvement in the murder. Meanwhile another journalist, Murtaza Razvi, was killed in April 2012, and numerous other journalists in Pakistan have reported death threats.
The death threats continue.
A government inquiry into Shahzad’s murder said it was unable to identify his killers. It speculated that any of a number of state, non-state or foreign actors, including al-Qaeda or the Taliban, could have been responsible.
True, but why no mention of the ISI?
Journalists face threats from political parties, criminal gangs, security forces, the Taliban and al-Qaeda. By not ensuring that that the ISI is thoroughly investigated for the murder of Saleem Shahzad, Pakistani authorities are once again encouraging a climate of impunity against journalists in the country.