The Cost of Truth

Section 01 · History

Two decades of violence against the press

From the war on terror in the tribal belt to targeted killings in Sindh's towns, journalists have been caught between militants, political groups, criminal networks and state agencies. Impunity remains the norm.

The record · 1 / 12

2002

Killed · Karachi, Sindh

Daniel Pearl

Wall Street Journal correspondent abducted while reporting on militancy and later murdered.

  1. 2002

    Killed · Karachi, Sindh

    Daniel Pearl

    Wall Street Journal correspondent abducted while reporting on militancy and later murdered.

  2. 2006

    Killed · Mir Ali, North Waziristan

    Hayatullah Khan

    Abducted after photographing remnants of a missile strike; his body was found six months later.

  3. 2009

    Killed · Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

    Musa Khan Khel

    Geo News reporter shot dead while covering a peace march during the Swat conflict.

  4. 2011

    Killed · Karachi, Sindh

    Wali Khan Babar

    Geo News reporter shot in his car shortly after filing a story on city violence.

  5. 2011

    Killed · Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab

    Syed Saleem Shahzad

    Investigative reporter abducted in Islamabad; his body was found days later in a canal.

  6. 2013

    Killed · Quetta, Balochistan

    Journalists in the Quetta bombings

    Several reporters and camera operators died in a second blast aimed at those responding to the first.

  7. 2014

    Attacked · Karachi, Sindh

    Hamid Mir

    Prominent anchor shot multiple times on the way from the airport; he survived.

  8. 2016

    Killed · Quetta, Balochistan

    Shehzad Khan & Mehmood Khan

    Cameramen killed in the Civil Hospital suicide bombing while covering the aftermath of an earlier attack.

  9. 2020

    Killed · Mehrabpur, Sindh

    Aziz Memon

    Reporter found dead months after saying he had received threats over his reporting.

  10. 2020

    Abducted · Islamabad

    Matiullah Jan

    Picked up in broad daylight outside a school; released hours later after national outcry.

  11. 2023

    Killed · Sukkur, Sindh

    Jan Mohammad Mahar

    Senior local TV journalist shot outside his office.

  12. 2024

    Killed · Mirpur Mathelo, Sindh

    Nasrullah Gadani

    Reporter known for covering local feudal power and crime, shot and later died of wounds.