Reposted from Sri Lanka Guardian | March 22, 2012 | Story

A militant group of ISI threatened a Baloch journalist who is our special correspondent

March 22, 2012, Balochistan, Sri Lanka Guardian: According to reports received by the Sri Lanka Guardian, a banned militant organization, said to be an arm of the ISI, threatened the Guardian correspondent in Balochistan. Reports further said, some nights earlier unknown men wearing masks and carrying automatic weapons came to his house gate, stayed there for hours, then left in the early hours of morning. It should be remembered that journalists from Balochistan had already been threatened by a militant organization believed to be run by the ISI.

According to press reports, Mir Jang Baloch, the spokesman of BMDA, in a phone call to the Naushki Press Club said the organization will target those journalists who are reporting on groups seeking independence for Balochistan like the Baloch Republican Army and Baloch Liberation Army. Jang Baloch had already threatened Khuzdar Press Club journalists and journalists reporting for Daily Tawar.

The journalists who have threatened include correspondents for "Express News" TV channel, president of Khuzdar Press club, "ARY News" TV channel, "KTN News" TV channel including reporters of Daily "Kawaish", daily "Balochistan News," "Aaj TV" channel and the editor of Daily Tawar, an Urdu newspaper that publishes from Balochistan. The sub-editor, including two reporters of the Daily Tawar, have already been killed.

Journalists from Balochistan had already protested against such illegal actions of ISI and its militants groups in a protest demo at Quetta Press Club some months back and warned that such threats were alarming as five Balochistan-based journalists had already been killed for their reporting since June 2010. Fresh threats and warnings to Sri Lanka Guardian reporters there in Balochistan are alarming. The International Federation of Journalists, including the International Union of Journalists, should take serious notice of the censorship of the media in Balochistan.