KARACHI – Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of a late-night gun attack on Metro 1 News anchorperson Imtiaz Mir, who was critically injured after being targeted in Karachi’s Malir district.
According to police, Mir was shot by unidentified assailants near Kala Board in the Saudabad area while travelling with his brother. Saudabad SHO Atiqur Rehman told Dawn.com that the journalist was struck by two bullets, including one to the mouth, and is currently being treated in the intensive care unit of a private hospital.
In a statement released on Monday, CM Shah condemned what he described as a “murderous attack on a senior journalist” and directed Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon to submit an immediate report. The chief minister expressed regret over the incident and assured that those responsible would be held accountable.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar also denounced the attack, ordering the police to arrest the perpetrators without delay. “The protection of journalists and media workers must be ensured at all costs,” he said, adding that safeguarding the lives and property of citizens remains the government’s top priority. He further instructed police officials to determine the motive behind the assault.
Rising Violence Against Journalists
The attack on Mir comes against the backdrop of mounting concerns over the safety of journalists in Pakistan. A recent report by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) revealed that 87 journalists were killed in the country between 2006 and 2023, with only two cases conclusively resolved.
Just last year, senior journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar of the Sindhi-language KTN News network was shot dead in Sukkur, while earlier this year, Khairpur police arrested five suspects linked to the murder of journalist Allah Dino Shar. In November 2024, 92 News reporter Nadeem Ahmed was also wounded in an armed attack in Karachi’s Karsaz area.
Despite repeated assurances from authorities, media watchdogs and journalist unions continue to voice alarm over the threats faced by reporters across the country. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in April warned of growing intimidation by political and religious groups, urging stronger protections for the press.
The attack on Imtiaz Mir has once again highlighted the precarious security environment for media professionals in Pakistan, with calls mounting for swift justice and meaningful reforms to end the cycle of violence.
