• A Safer World For The Truth
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Over the past decades, dozens of journalists have lost their lives in Pakistan. Between 2014 and 2024 alone, at least 78 journalists were killed.

Background of the task force

What makes matters worse is the high levels of impunity that allow perpetrators to escape consequences, further undermining journalist safety. According to the Islamabad-based Freedom Network, only two cases of journalist murders out of 53 between 2012 and 2022 resulted in convictions – and even those were later overturned.

Explore The history

The Pakistan Task Force
on Journalist Murders (PTJM)

With at least 78 journalists killed between 2014 and 2024 and countless others facing detention and arbitrary arrest, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. In 2024 alone, 14 journalists were murdered. What makes matters worse is the high level of impunity that allow perpetrators to escape justice, further undermining journalist safety. Between 2012 and 2022, only two cases of journalist murders led to convictions – and those too were later overturned.

Our Mission

Safe Journalism seeks to unite media practitioners and civil society in its efforts to provide justice for murdered journalists in Pakistan. By working with press associations, civil society organizations and government officials, as well as providing the input of our distinguished roster of experts, we aim to enhance the effectiveness of accountability frameworks and investigations and thereby to fight impunity in journalist murders.

Our Vision

As transparency promotes accountability, investigations into journalist murders should be subjected to a level of public scrutiny. This need is further increased by the fact that journalist murders are not only a crime against individuals but also an attack on public access to information. We believe that this scrutiny can be improved by having a standing, authoritative roster of experts that can deliver prompt expert input during different stages of the investigation.​

How the Task Force came about

Investigative report n spanning a year (2020-21) into the 2007 murder of Mirpurkhas reporter of Daily Jang, Zubair Ahmed Mujahid

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Report Exposes Flawed Probe into Journalist Zubair Mujahid’s Murder

  • Seeking to shed light on this impunity, a report by the “A Safer World for the Truth” coalition – consisting of international press freedom organizations Free Press Unlimited, the CPJ, and RSF – looking into the 2007 murder of Zubair Mujahid highlights the challenges the authorities faced in conducting an effective and unbiased investigation. Mujahid’s murder was initially investigated by the same police department that he had accused of power abuse. Simultaneously, both forensic analyses and recorded witness testimonies were found unreliable.

Pakistan's Alarming Record of Impunity in Journalist Murders

  • What makes matters worse is the high levels of impunity that allow perpetrators to escape consequences, further undermining journalist safety. According to the Islamabad-based Freedom Network, only two cases of journalist murders out of 53 between 2012 and 2022 resulted in convictions – and even those were later overturned. As a result, Pakistan has had the dubious honour of being placed on the Global Impunity Index every year since the list was created by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 16 years ago.

Core Committee

Mehmal Sarfraz

Mehmal Sarfraz has worked in the media since 2005. She is an analyst on Geo News’ program, Report Card...

Adil Jawad

Adil Jawad is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in investigative journalism...

Aman Aftab

Aman is an accomplished litigation lawyer with over seven years of extensive experience...

Aman Aftab

Aman is an accomplished litigation lawyer with over seven years of extensive experience..

Jos Bartman

Jos Bartman is research coordinator at Free Press Unlimited, where he investigates cold cases of journalist murders...

Probing Misconduct to Curb Impunity

  • At the same time, our team carries out our own investigations of journalist murders as they occur, focusing on those where the murder appears to be motivated by the slain journalist’s work. With on-ground fact finding and input from our Roster of Experts, we bring investigative misconduct and mistakes to the attention of the authorities. Our reporting also helps us identify patterns in journalist murders in Pakistan, as well as gaps in investigations. Consequently, we work with authorities to pinpoint the most effective interventions to reduce impunity.

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