2012-01-26

Mulana Mukarram Khan killed in Pakistan

Mulana Mukarram Khan
You listened to him when he spoke. His voice filled the room, not because it was loud but because it was full of experience from deep inside. After everything he had been through, he still had a sense of humor.

Pakistan is one of the world´s most dangerous places to work as a journalist. Mulana Mukarram had personal experience of the horrors of being a journalist in conflict areas bordering to Afghanistan. Parts from threats, he was a few years ago kidnapped by the Talibans. Now, Mulana Mukarram participated in a training of trainers course facilitated by Fojo Media Institute in December in Islamabad; to train colleagues in safety.

When he was not attending the course during the day, he took to the streets to interview people who had escaped from the war thorn tribal area – he and they were from – to the capitol.

This morning, Wednesday January 18, Mulana Mukarram was killed. A Pakistani colleague writes; "He was targeted in a mosque near his house while offering his Maghrib prayers. He was seriously injured and taken to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, where he succumbed to 6 bullet wounds. Tejreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for this cowardly act, citing lack of coverage as a reason".

Our thoughts and prayers go to his family.

Nina Hjelmgren, Fojo Media Institute.

Photo: Fojo