Fazal Wahab

freelance

January 21, 2003, in Mingora, Pakistan

Wahab, a freelance writer, was shot by unidentified gunmen as he sat in a roadside shop in Manglawar Bazaar, near the resort town of Mingora in northwestern Pakistan. The shopkeeper and his young assistant also died in the attack.

Wahab, who lived in Mingora, had published several books in Urdu and Pashto that were critical of local religious leaders and Islamic militant organizations. Among Wahab's work was the book, Mullah Ka Kirdar (The Mullah's Role), which analyzed the Islamic clergy's involvement in politics. He had also completed a manuscript about Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

Local journalists and human rights activists told CPJ that Wahab had received threats for years in connection with his journalism. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan found that police took no evident action to apprehend the killers.

Medium: Print

Job: Columnist / Commentator, Print Reporter

Beats Covered: Politics

Gender: Male

Local or Foreign: Local

Freelance: Yes

Type of Death: Murder

Suspected Source of Fire: Political Group

Impunity: Yes

Taken Captive: No

Tortured: No

Threatened: Yes

Related Articles:

• News OutletPakistani officials pledge review of journalist killingsDateNameNews outlet, July 26, 2006
• 36 JOURNALISTS KILLED FOR THEIR WORK IN 2003More than a third killed during conflict in Iraq , January 2, 2004