The Hindu : CPJ condemns journalist's murder

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 09, 2003

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National

CPJ condemns journalist's murder

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the murder of journalist Parvaz Mohammed Sultan, editor of an independent wire service based in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.

On January 31, Sultan, editor of News and Feature Alliance (NAFA), was shot dead by a gunman. According to reports, two men entered Sultan's office at around 5.30 p.m., and after a brief conversation with him, one of them shot him in the head.

The Associated Press reported that the killer used a pistol equipped with a silencer. No one stopped the assailants from leaving the premises, which is located in the press enclave in central Srinagar. Though Sultan was rushed to the hospital, doctors declared him dead within minutes of his arrival, police sources said.

Sultan, 36, was known as an independent journalist who had worked for several local Urdu dailies during his career. In addition to running the NAFA, he contributed investigative stories and columns to the Urdu daily, Chattan, one of the oldest newspapers published in Kashmir.

Journalists working in Kashmir, which is claimed by both India and Pakistan, have long been vulnerable to attack by various parties to the conflict.

Sultan's colleagues told the CPJ that though they were not aware of any specific threats against the journalist, news agencies such as the NAFA were under constant pressure to carry statements issued by competing political and militant groups. Police blamed the murder on militant groups but have not yet carried out a thorough investigation. No group claimed responsibility for Sultan's murder and many militant organisations, including the Hizb-ul-Mujahedeen, condemned the murder, as did the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, the main separatist alliance.

Kashmiri journalists have expressed frustration that Sultan's murder would remain unsolved, like the cases of other slain colleagues. According to CPJ's records, nine other journalists have been killed in Kashmir since 1989. No one has been brought to justice for any of these killings. As a non-partisan organisation, dedicated to the defence of our colleagues worldwide, the CPJ urges the authorities to ensure that a vigorous investigation is undertaken so that Sultan's killers may be brought to justice.

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