A journalist protection organization is urging Pakistani authorities to investigate threats against prominent news anchor Hamid Mir.
Mir Who hosts the popular “Capital Talk” program on Geo News, told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that he’s been receiving multiple death threats on social media, along with warnings that his life is in danger. This isn’t the first time Mir has faced violence – he’s a survivor of two previous assassination attempts, one involving a shooting in 2014 and another where explosives were found under his car in 2012.
The CPJ is deeply concerned about Mir’s safety. They point to online harassment and the recent threats as proof of a serious problem in Pakistan: journalists facing stress and pressure. The organization’s Asia Program Coordinator, Beh Lih Yi, is calling on Pakistani security forces to take immediate action. They want whoever is behind these threats to be identified and held answerable.
The lack of an investigation adds another layer of worry. Despite reporting the threats to the Islamabad police last week, no official report has been filed and no investigation has begun. The CPJ is demanding that Pakistani authorities take these threats seriously and act swiftly to ensure Mir’s safety.