27/5/25
A Pakistani journalist, Abdul Latif Baloch, pictured, known for his reporting on human rights violations, has been killed in Balochistan, in his home area of Awaran.
Local activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee say he was shot dead by unknown assailants who broke into his home. The killing comes just months after members of his family were abducted and later found dead.
“This is not just a tragedy for one family. It is an act of terror meant to silence an entire people,” said the Committee in a statement. “We call on the United Nations, international media, and press freedom organisations to break their silence and confront these crimes against humanity.”
Abdul Latif worked for the Daily Intekhab and Aaj News TV channel. The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) described him as a dedicated and honest journalist and said his targetted killing again raised serious questions about press freedom in Balochistan. It said the attack was part of a broader conspiracy to silence independent voices in the province.
“Journalists in a sensitive region like Balochistan already face grave threats, and such attacks highlight the government’s failure to ensure their safety,” said the BUJ.
Local activists have hit our at what they describe as the Pakistani government’s “kill and dump” policy, or a systematic campaign to silence dissent and erase Baloch identity in the province, where there are calls for greater autonomy.
Abdul Latif is the second journalist killed in Pakistan this year. Journalist Allah Dino Shar was killed in April in Khairpur district of Sindh province. Last year, 12 journalists were reported to have been killed in different parts of the country.
