Abdul Razzaq Baloch (journalist)

Haji
Abdul Razzaq Baloch
Born Abdul Razzaq Baloch
ca. 1971-1978
Disappeared March 24, 2013
Died August 21, 2013
Karachi, Pakistan
Cause of death Strangulation
Residence Pakistan
Nationality Pakistan
Occupation Journalist and copy editor/sub editor
Employer Daily Tawar (Voice)

Haji Abdul Razzaq Baloch, also known as Haji Razak, (ca. 1971-1978 – 21 August 2013) was a copy editor/sub editor at nationalist newspaper Daily Tawar (Voice). Abdul Razzaq was found mutilated after he had been reported missing since 24 March 2013 and found dead in Karachi, Pakistan.

Personal

He was reported to be around 35-42 years old at the time of his death.[1][2]

Career

Abdul Razzaq was a journalist and an activist. He was a copy editor/sub editor at nationalist newspaper Daily Tawar (Voice).[3] A Urdu newspaper printed from Mustang, Balochistan.

Death

Islamabad
Karachi
Khuzdar
Turbat
The red shaded area is Balochistan, Pakistan, one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Mentioned locations within Pakistan relative to the capital Islamabad and the largest city Karachi.

Abdul Razzaq Baloch was reported missing by his sister on March 24, 2013 in Karachi. Razzaq was last seen leaving a friend's house in the Liyari neighborhood of Karachi, which is a district severely affected by the ethnic and gang warfare.[3] His body was found mutilated, tortured along with signs of strangulation on August 21, 2013 in Surjani Town area of Karachi.[1]

According to reports, the bodies of Abdul Razzaq Baloch and Pattan Bugti a resident of Hub, were found tortured to death and thrown away in Sarjani town of Karachi.[4] Razzaq's body was found with a piece of paper suggesting he was the missing journalist from the Daily Tawar.[5]

Seaeda Sarbazi, Mr. Razzaq's sister was adamant on the identities of the kidnappers as Pakistan's intelligence services.[6] The family decided on a second look at the body to truly identify him. Once Razzaq 's body was found it took his family 24 hours to be able to identify him due to the severe trauma to his body.[7] The childhood stains on Abdul's nails were how the family was finally able to truly identify him and bury him in the Mewa Shah graveyard.The childhood stains on Abdul's nails were how the family was finally able to truly identify him.[8]

According to his sister, "He wrote about how we are deprived of gas, how we belong to the richest province yet our people are begging on the streets, and how our children have no schools to go to."[2]

Context

There had been at least 16 bodies of Baluch individuals 6 of them journalists and 4 of them were Balochistan, which were found in the Surjani Town area of Karachi within the six months prior to Razzaq's death.[9] According to CPJ, Pakistan was ranked one of the world's deadliest for press.[10]

Impact

Certain districts of Balochistan are no longer considered safe for journalists, and are becoming dangerous places to report from. When it would come to security or armed struggles, journalists would not report any mishaps due to it endangering their lives or to avoid being threatened.[11]

Reactions

Protests were held at the Karachi Press Club.

Abdul Razzaq left the Daily Tawar, which is known for the coverage's of conflicts happening between rival groups along with the government, after a fellow journalist was found dead after going missing.[1]

With Razzaq being the 7th reporter to go missing and later found dead due to several reasons this brings up questions to who and what is causing these happenings.[10]

After the disappearance of Razzaq, his family had protested holding banners and posters outside of a Karachi Press Club trying to spread the word of their missing family member.[12][13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Missing Baluch journalist found dead in Karachi (August 22, 2013). "Missing Baluch journalist found dead in Karachi - Committee to Protect Journalists". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Haji Abdul Razzaq Baloch | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)". Pakistan Press Foundation. May 25, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Missing Journalist Found Dead". Newsweek Pakistan. August 22, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bullet-riddled body found in Kalat". Daily Times (Pakistan). August 24, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  5. ↑ AFP (August 22, 2013). "Missing Baloch journalist found dead in Karachi – The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ Green, Matthew (September 24, 2013). "Special Report: The struggle Pakistan does not want reported". Reuters. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  7. ↑ Baluch journalist reported missing in Karachi (March 28, 2013). "Baluch journalist reported missing in Karachi". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  8. ↑ Dawn.Com (August 21, 2013). "Two missing Baloch men found dead in Karachi". Dawn.Com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ "BBC News - Baloch journalist Abdul Razzaq killed in Karachi". Bbc.co.uk. August 22, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Equipment stolen, burned in raid on pro-Baluch paper (2013-04-08). "Equipment stolen, burned in raid on pro-Baluch paper - Committee to Protect Journalists". Cpj.org. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
  11. ↑ "VIEW : To be a journalist in Balochistan Muhammad Akbar Notezai". Daily Times (Pakistan). July 23, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Journalist Haji Abdul Razzaq, the Latest Victim of Baloch Genocide in Pakistan - Opinions - Features - Balochwarna News". Balochwarna.com. August 21, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  13. ↑ Reuters (September 24, 2013). "Women, children and family members of Abdul Razzaq Baloch, who had been …". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
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