Threats faced by working journalists: Peshawar-based journalists end five-day peace march

The five-day peace march embarked on by two young Peshawar-based journalists culminated here on Monday with their arrival in the metropolis on motorcycle from Peshawar. The journalists, Salman Shahzad, 25, and Muhammad Wali Afridi, 26, ended their "Da Aman Safar" - (the peace journey) with the resolve to continue their struggle for protection and security of working journalists in the country.
They set off their peace trip on May 26 from Peshawar, riding a motorbike and passing through Nowshera, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Hyderabad before reaching Karachi Press Club on Monday afternoon. The aim of the march, according to the newsmen, was to highlight the plight and difficulties being faced by working journalists and the life threats they are receiving during discharge of their professional duties on a daily basis.
"Primarily, we intended to invite the world attention towards the rising threats and security fears being faced by working journalists in Pakistan, particularly the ones working in troubled areas including the tribal areas," they told Business Recorder. They said the rising violence against the working journalists in Pakistan after 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US prompted them to compile the data of the violence against the journalists.
"At least 26 journalists fell prey to the terrorism in Pakistan since the 9/11 incident while 13 newsmen died in the last 13 months, bringing Pakistan in the index of most dangerous countries for journalists," they pointed out. But the latest incident, wherein a local journalist belonging to Khyber Agency, who was killed in bomb blast in Peshawar on May 10, prompted them to begin a countrywide campaign for protection of the working journalists, they said.
Sharing their pre-journey experiences, Salman Shahzad said that many people had discouraged them to embark on the journey to highlight the challenges and threats the newsmen were faced with. He said he was happy to culminate the daunting journey in the face of criticism and challenges. They said both had agreed to name the trip "Da Aman Safar" meaning the peace journey to highlight the problems of their fraternity in the country.
They stayed at different press club to rest and feed during their five-day journey. They were very tired when the arrived at KPC after the long journey, but were jubilant and undeterred to continue their efforts for the protection and security of their fraternity. They urged the government to impart training to journalists covering war against terrorism in the FATA and other turbulent regions of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, besides providing them bullet-roof jackets and relevant equipment.
"The province is an undeclared war zone and journalists there lack expertise to do reporting in line with the global codes of war, who are poorly equipped," they said. "Protect Journalist" was the theme of the peace journey, which Khyber Union of Journalists (KUJ) had arranged. Before leaving for Karachi, a large number of journalists at a special ceremony held at Peshawar Press Club saw them off. Salman Shahzad belongs to Charsdasa and Muhammad Wali Afridi to Khyber Agency, both hoped their journey would yield results one day.