Relatives of slain journalist under constant threat, demand relocation amid death threats in Pakistan

Landi Kotal [Pakistan], July 3 (ANI): The family of the late Pakistani journalist Khalil Jibran has appealed to local authorities to be relocated to a safer area following threats and an attack on their family-owned snooker club in the Sultankhel area of Landi Kotal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Dawn reported.
According to the Pakistani daily, Jibran's 17-year-old son felt increasingly insecure after his father's murder, especially since unknown assailants have targeted their snooker club, their sole remaining source of income.
Despite the incident, the family has refrained from filing a First Information Report (FIR) due to fears of reprisals.
"The market where our snooker club is located is now our only source of income, but we are living in fear after the incident on Sunday night," the son added.
Jibran's 15-year-old daughter expressed concerns about her safety and that of her siblings, particularly regarding their education, which her father had prioritised. She highlighted the mental stress caused by the attack, fearing further violence.
The journalist's family has called on provincial and federal authorities to thoroughly investigate both incidents and provide adequate security.
They also seek compensation for the loss of their father and primary breadwinner.
District Police Officer Saleem Abbas Kulachi acknowledged the challenges in investigating Jibran's murder, citing ongoing efforts to identify the perpetrators. Although no FIR has been filed for the snooker club arson, police have gathered evidence from the scene.
Khalil Jibran, a senior journalist associated with a private news channel and former president of the Landi Kotal Press Club, was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen near his residence.
His friend, Sajjad Advocate, was injured in the attack, which occurred in the Mazreena area near Landi Kotal Police Station.
The killing of journalists in Pakistan has drawn international condemnation, with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urging Pakistani authorities to swiftly bring those responsible to justice and address the pervasive violence against reporters in the country.
CPJ report revealed that Jibran is the seventh journalist killed in 2024, with fellow Khyber Pakhtunkhwa journalist Kamran Dawar fatally shot in a targeted attack in Miranshah on May 21.
Balochistani journalist Muhammad Siddique Mengal was killed on May 3, Punjabi journalists Mehar Ashfaq Siyal and Sagheer Ahmed Laar were killed on May 15 and March 14 respectively, while Sindh journalist Nasrullah Gadani died on May 24, three days after he had been shot. (ANI)