Saleem Shahzad—another voice silenced

Tuesday, May 31^st, 2011, was yet another black day for journalism and free speech in Pakistan. Syed Saleem Shahzad, bureau chief of Asia Times online and a fine investigative reporter, paid the highest cost for his unwavering commitment to his profession—his life. Two days after he had been abducted from Islamabad, Saleem Shahzad was found dead near Mandi Bahauddin.

Pakistan, rightly or wrongly, is often touted as the most dangerous country in the world. But certainly, it is the most dangerous country for the journalists reporting from here as per Reporters without Borders. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranks Pakistan sixth in the list of most deadly countries in the world. War-torn countries like Somalia, Afghanistan and Rwanda fare better on the list. Ironically, according to CPJ, 37 percent of the reporters killed in Pakistan covered the war, while a whopping 47 percent covered the politics beat.

In a state torn with sectarian, religious, ethnic and political rife, the job of the journalists has become ever so more difficult. In their pursuit to investigate and report the truth, they incur the wrath of both the militants and establishment. Saleem Shahzad was also one such journalist. Two days before he was abducted, he had published a story claiming that Al Qaeda had infiltrated the lower ranks of Pakistan Navy. Upon discovering such cells within them, the navy intelligence had arrested a group of suspects. Shahzad had also alleged that the navy and Al Qaeda had been negotiating the release of these personnel which the navy wanted to first interrogate. It was after these talks had failed to reach a settlement that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), closely associated with Al Qaeda, attacked the PNS Mehran base.

While the identity of the people who abducted and killed Saleem Shahzad is unknown, the manner in which this episode unfolded exhibits a certain pattern. The TTP and Al Qaeda have never shied away from taking responsibility for their operations. For their agenda to succeed, it is not only what they do is important, but also that everyone sees them doing it. It is solely by owning their actions do they achieve the maximum effect of creating “terror” in their enemies’ minds. This was evident in the case of Daniel Pearl, reporter for Wall Street Journal, who was abducted and beheaded on camera by Al Qaeda.

Saleem Shahzad’s abduction and killing, on the other hand, shows a more morbid and murky pattern in which there is no visible enemy. Pakistani journalists are often abducted, tortured and either released or mercilessly killed. There have been numerous reports about missing students, teachers and journalists in Balochistan whose bodies are later found dumped by roadsides. Hayatullah Khan, a journalist from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was also abducted for more than six months in 2005/2006 after controversies erupted about the death of Al Qaeda commander Abu Hamza Rabia. Pakistani authorities claimed he and others had died when the bomb-making material had accidently exploded. But Hayatullah Khan took photographs of supposed pieces of US missiles from a scene hinting at a US airstrike. Khan’s body was found in summer of 2006. His murder, and that of his wife over a year later, still remain unsolved.

The torture marks on Saleem Shahzad’s body which, it is being speculated, led to his death reveal that he might have been interrogated for information. It is now public knowledge that after his story on Mullah Bradar’s release in October 2010, he was summoned by the ISI to reveal his sources which he refused to do so. After this incident he became concerned about his security and sent an email to Human Rights Watch to be released in case something happened to him. The email contained information about his meeting with the ISI officials. When Shahzad disappeared in Islamabad this Sunday, Human Rights Watch reported they had credible information from a “reliable interlocutor” that the intelligence agencies had intercepted him.

It is, of course, impossible to prove with evidence who is responsible for Saleem Shahzad’s abduction and death. It is the job of the police to investigate the matter and judiciary to convict them. Prime Minister Gilani has announced a full inquiry and has wowed to find justice for him “at all costs.” But if our history has taught us anything, it is to be increasingly skeptic over these repeated, hollow claims. Out of the fourteen journalists already killed in Pakistan this year, there has been not a single investigation led to any arrest or indictment.

In a country where the civilian rule is not absolute we cannot help but feel vulnerable. Freedom of speech as perpetrated by everyone today has not yet translated into freedom of discourse. There is still an overwhelming presence of those who do not tolerate diversity of dialogue, who will go at lengths to silence the ones who refuse to cower behind self-censorship. Saleem Shahzad was one such journalist whose name has now been added in the fast expanding list of our fallen colleagues who fought injustice with their words. 

Source: Business Recorder