The gruesome murder of freelance journalist, Saidan Shafi, and television programme producer, Tariq Ahmad, within a space of less than a month, has spread terror amongst mediapersons in Kashmir. Pakistani terrorists agents are trying to prove that they still can pick out soft targets and force Kashmiris to toe their line.

The gruesome murder (Srinagar, March 16, 1997) of freelance journalist Saidan Shafi by Pakistani terrorist agents has prevented honest reflection of the Kashmiris plight. This has led credence to the view that the militants are out to throttle voice of the people against the misdeeds and atrocities perpetrated by them. It also exposes the designs of militants and their mentors who often cry hoarse about human rights abuses and the freedom of speech. Certainly, indulgence in shameless and barbaric acts is unacceptable to a civilised society and these demonstrate desperation of the militants owing to the difficulty faced by them in enlisting public support. It also serves as an eye opener for those who sympathise and support militant activities.

It is well known that Saidan Shafi was a T.V journalist presently working as a special correspondent and videographer for T.V News Magazine "Ankhon Dekhi". The forty years old Saidan Shafi had earlier also working as a correspondent for the serial "Kashmir file". Coming from a modest background, the deceased was the son of a retired Police Inspector who was serving as a block Development Officer till 1992-93 and had taken unto himself the role of highlighting the Kashmiris plight due to ongoing militancy. He was known for his unbiased and fearless reporting which ultimately cost him his life at the hands of unprincipled criminals.

The Killing of Shafi

SRINAGAR; March 16.- The special correspondent and videographer of Ankho dekhi and kashmir file, Mr Mohammed Saidan Shafi, was shot dead along with his security gaurd at Narsingarh, near here, this afternoon.

An official spokesman said millitants, equipped with sophisticated weapons, fired bulets on the car in which Mr Shafi and his personalsecurity guard,Mr Monohar Lal,were travelling at 1250 hours.

He said Shafi and his armed guard were immediately shifted to police hospital, where they succumbed to thir injuries. Shafi was 42.

Police has lounched a massive hunt to arrest the assailants, who fled the scene after commiting the crime the spokesman said.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing of Mr Shafi, who was threatened of "severe consequences" by several militants for his alleged "biased reporting" in the Kashmir file serial. The government had provided security to the deceased in 1994 following the threats.

Death List

Over the past seven years, militants have killed as many as twelve well known journalists and personalities connected with the media besides Saidan Shafi and Tariq Ahmad.

It is not only that these people have been victims of militant's fury. There have been instances where many other journalists/mediapersons have been chosen for specific attacks/vain bids on their lives like the ones involving Yusuf Jameel (BBC Correspondent) and Habibullah Naqash (UNI Correspondent) both on Sept. 7,1995 and Zaffar Mehraj Zee T.V Correspondent-Dec. 8,1995.

Another TV Producer Shot Dead

Srinagar. APR 8 (UNI): A private producer working for Doordarshan Tariq Ahmad was shot dead by gunmen in the downtown area this morning. Official sources said the bullet-riddled body of Tariq Ahmad, who has made several programmes for Doordarshan was recovered from the Soura area this morning. Mr Ahmad is the third person associated with the electronic media to be killed in the Valley this year. Earlier gunmen killed Altaf Ahmad, a local Doordarshan announcer and Mr Saidan Shafi, correspondent "Ankhon-Dekhi"