Another journalist gunned down in Pakistan’s K-P province
Hassan Zaib, 40, was associated with the Peshawar-based Urdu daily Aaj and was a member of the Khyber Union of Journ­alists and Peshawar Press Club. He covered health and city beats.

Peshawar, July 15: A journalist from Peshawar was shot dead by unknown assailants in the Akbarpura area of Nowshera district, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, police said. It is the third incident of the killing of a journalist within two months.

According to the police, the victim, Malik Hassan Zaib, was on his way in a car along with his brother. His brother escaped the attack, they added. The journalist’s body had been shifted to a nearby hospital.

According FIR lodged by the victim’s brother Anwar Zaib, he and his brother Hassan were on their way in a car when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire at his brother.

Police have started investigation into the attack after registering a case against unknown persons. Police have formed three investigation teams to probe the incident.

The paramilitary forces gathered clues and various CCTV footage from the crime scene.

The short video clearly shows attackers, riding a motorbike, opening fire at the journalist’s car in the city area of Akbarpura, District Police Officer (DPO) Azhar Khan said.

Hassan Zaib, 40, was associated with the Peshawar-based Urdu daily Aaj and was a member of the Khyber Union of Journ­alists and Peshawar Press Club (PPC). He covered health and city beats.

The Khyber Union of Journalists announced a protest demonstration outside the PPC on Monday.

The Khyber Union of Journalists, condemning the murder, demanded KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur take notice and arrest the assassins immediately.

It is the third incident of the killing of a journalist within two months, KHUJ President Nasir Hussain said.

The Peshawar Press Club also regretted the killing of the journalist. PPC President Arshad Aziz Malik said the top police officer of the province had assured him of the early arrest of Hassan Zaib’s killers.

Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the killing of the journalist.

CM Gandapur sought a report of the incident and issued directives for an immediate arrest of the culprits behind the attack.

On June 18, journalist Khalil Jibran was gunned down in Landi Kotal.

On May 21, a citizen journalist, Kamran Dawar, was shot dead by unidentified attackers in Miram­Shah.