PSF UOM condemns Mutahida Qatil Movement's assassination of Shaheed e PSF Wali Khan Babar!

MQM Mutahia Qatil Movement

Interior Secretary Pakistan Rahman Malik and his government equally responsible for these killings as they are dealing with terrorists to save their government at the expense of blood shed

Altaf Hussain Bhai

Wali Khan Babar Shaheed, an asset to Geo News

PSF pays tribute to Wali Khan Babar Shaheed

Wali Khan Babar's message to the media and politicians

Wali Khan Babar declared as Shaheed e PSF

Wali Khan Babar interviewing Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Home Minister of Sindh province, an open critic of Mutahida Qatil Movement who announced that MQM is responsible for terror in Karachi

13 January 2011:

Wali Khan Babar, A genius, charismatic and dynamic leader of PSF, Former Deputy General Secretary PSF Sindh & Prominent Leader of PSF University of Karachi and also a reporter of a private Pakistani Urdu TV Channel Geo News and The Daily News english newspaper was shot dead on Thursday Night at Liaqatabad area of Karachi after recording the report on Drug Mafia Operation in Pehlawan Goth area of Karachi by alledgely MQM (Mutahida Qomi Movement) activists as he was a Pashtun, a former member of PSF and as he had recorded a report which showed MQM activists involved in it. He was shot by heavy gun fire by motor cyclists while driving in his car.

In other acts of violence in Karachi, Awami National Party Sindh's General Secretary Basheer Jan, a famous leader of ANP Sindh was also attacked by MQM terrorists and he was taken to hospital in critical condition but is reported to be survived and dozens of people are targeted since then in Karachi.

ANP has declared 3 days mourning on the attack on Basheer Jan. While PSF has also declared 3 day mourning on the death of Wali Khan Babar and given him the title of Shaheed e PSF. Friday was Mourning Day and Monday was declared as Black Day.

PSF held strikes all over Pakistan and PSF all over the world condemed this incident. PSF Central Leadership, PSF Pakhtunkhwa and PSF Peshawar University Campus held strike on Friday infront of Peshawar Press Club.

MQM's name as Mutahida Qomi Movement was officially changed to Mutahida Qatil Movement by PSF and urged the people to call them as Qatil. PSF urged the people of Pakistan and the world to rise against MQM and Altaf Hussain, Qatil Movement's leader who has taken refuge in London and remote controlling his Party froom London as Govt, Judiciary and Media are helpless against Altaf and Qatil Movement. PSF urged the media to take the name of Altaf and his terrorist party directly instead of calling it the act of unknown terrorists. PSF showed anger on the immunity of Altaf by being safe in London and carrying out terrorist activities in Karachi. PSF urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take action against Qatil Mvement and arrest Altaf who is the head of all operations and criminal elements in MQM have taken over the party and the middle class Mohajirs who are peaceful citizens have no say in the party. MQM has taken over and kidnapped the peaceful Mohajirs and is killing Pashtuns in Karachi. PSF UOM held MQM and Altaf responsible for making Karachi the city of shots instead of lights. MQM has destroyed the peace of the city. Mohajirs and Pukhtoons are brothers and there are many Mahajirs and Punjabis in PSF Sindh. PSF urged the moderate forces in MQM to reject Altaf's criminal policies and reject criminal elements instead of the continued support of Altaf at the cost f human life of both Mahajirs and Pashtuns.

Vice President of ANP Bushra Gohar told PSF UOM: "Strongly condemn the cold blooded targetted killing of Wali Khan Babar & continued targetted killing of Pakhtuns in Karachi. The Provincial Government has failed to clear Karachi of illegal weapons and provide security to the citizens. All thse behind the killings be brought to the book and immediately stop policies of appeasement and compromise at the cost of the lives and livelihoods of innocents Pakhtuns."
(PSF UOM)

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been formed to probe the murder of private TV news channel reporter Wali Khan Babar. Deputy Inspector General West Zone Sultan Khawaja would lead the JIT. JIT comprises SSP Investigation West Zone II Javed Mehar, SPO Liaquatabad Town DSP Qaiser Ali Shah, Station Investigation Officer Inspector Hatim Marwat while Special Investigation Unit and CID were also given the task to investigate the matter. The investigators also visited the crime scene and recovered five empty shells of 9mm pistols used in the assassination. The investigators also collected the fingerprints from the car. On the other hand Super Market police registered a case No 8/2011 regarding the murder of the journalist against unidentified men on the complaint of his brother Muhabbat Khatak. staff report


Wali Khan Babar, 29, reporter of Geo News, Pakistan's largest private television news channel, was gunned down by unidentified armed men in Karachi on 13 January 2011. Babar received five bullets - two in his forehead, one in the jaw and two in his neck. He was killed shortly after covering an operation against drug-traffickers in the Pehalwan Goth area in Karachi.

According to press reports, Babar was returning home from the Geo News office after performing his professional responsibilities, when two assailants on motorcycle intercepted his car at 9:21 p.m. and shot him five times through the driver's window at close range. Eyewitnesses told journalists that Babar's car was stopped by the attackers who, after confirming his identity, shot him dead.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Sultan Khawaja, ruled out attempted robbery as the motive behind the firing, saying "it appeared to be a premeditated murder".
Although they were not able to pinpoint the exact reason for his death, a number of his senior colleagues at Geo News believe that Babar was killed as a result of his journalistic work. Azhar Abbas, Managing Director of the Geo Television Network, said that they don't know who is behind this, but they definitely take it as a message for the entire media community. He added that this reflects a dangerous trend of intolerance aimed at targeting the media personnel who reveal the truth.
No one has claimed responsibility for the murder. The Police have lodged a criminal complaint filed by the deceased's brother, Muhammad Khan Babar.
Babar leaves behind his widowed mother, three sisters and four brothers. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the killing of Babar and decided to observe a country-wide 'black day' on Friday 14 January 2011, by staging protest rallies and hoisting black flags in the offices of journalists' unions and press clubs to express their resentment.
The PFUJ said this incident has once again proved that working conditions in Pakistan for media practitioners are neither conducive nor safe and the killing of media persons has become the order of the day. The PFUJ further pointed out that despite the repeated killings of media persons, none of the killers has so far been brought to justice. This situation of impunity speaks volumes about the violence and lawlessness in which media persons are forced to perform their professional assignments without any security, insurance, or training.

Members of Peshawar Press Club (PPC) and Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) on Friday protested against the vicious killing of a TV reporter while performing his professional duty in Karachi on Thursday night. The protesting journalists number in hundreds gathered in front of PPC on Friday, were holding placards and banners and were chanting slogans against the killers of Wali Khan Babar. PPC president Saiful Islam Saifi led the protest rally. Convener PPP- Shaheed Benazir Group, Arbab Khizer Hayat, Secretary information, Awami National Party Arbab Tahir and students of different political parties also joined the procession to show solidarity with journalist community and to condemn the brutal killing of the journalist. Participants of the protest demanded to investigate the incident through an independent judicial commission. The protesters said it was not first incident of targeting innocent journalists, several incident of its kind had been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past. They were of the view that journalists would keep on performing their professional duties without any fear. The president of KhUJ, Syed Bukhar Shah also condemned the brutal Killing of Wali Babar, and said he was a dare and sincere journalist. The protest rally that was started from Peshawar Press Club was ended at Deans shopping plaza peacefully. Meanwhile journalist community in Nowshera also staged a protest demonstration against the killing of their colleague in Karachi. The journalists were also joined by lawyers, hawkers and members of civil society. They demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

The death toll from separate incidents of targeted killings in various parts of the metropolis has mounted to 24 during the last 24 hours with Orangi Town being most violent where 9 people have been shot dead including a 4-year old girl, Aaj News reported.
Late Thursday night unknown armed men, riding a motor cycle, gunned down a News reporter of a private news channel, Wali Khan Babar in front of Liaquatabad Town Police Office.
In North Nazimabad, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a barber shop, killing a man identified as Naveed alias Noori. According to police, the victim was a worker of a political party.
Maj (Retd.) Iqbal Kashmiri, who was the pilot of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah's helicopter, was shot and killed by unknown attackers in front of Rabia City, Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Other incidents of firing occurred in Korangi, Malir, Khwaja Ajmer Nagri and Banaras.

The body of the young journalist was first brought to Quetta before it was shifted to Zhob in an ambulance.
A demonstration condemning the murder was organised by the Balochistan Union of Journalists and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) on the Airport Road, disrupting traffic for hours.
Scores of protesters, including journalists, accused the government of “shielding professional killers” in Karachi.
Accusing the government of patronising the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), protesters said that the Karachi-based political party was resorting to “ethic cleansing of Pakhtuns, Baloch, Sindhis and the Punjabis”, adding that none of the perpetrators of such blatant targeted killings had ever been arrested or punished.
Journalists also held a protest demonstration in Gwadar and Zhob districts demanding the arrest of the culprits.
Meanwhile, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has condemned the killing Wali Khan and termed him a ‘Martyr of Journalism’.

The CPNE demanded that the government form an independent judicial commission to investigate the incident and award exemplary punishment to the killers, according to a statement issued by the council after a meeting.

The CPNE also called on the government, political parties and civil society to condemn the killing of Babar, threats to journalists and steps against editors, and at the same time ensure their unconditional support for freedom of the media.

A cloud of gloom, sorrow and disbelief hung over the Department of International Relations at Karachi University on Friday, as teachers and other office staff members mourned the loss of one of the brightest minds to ever walk through the gates. His name was Wali Khan Babar.
Wali later went on to become a young, energetic and ambitious reporter of Geo News, whose life was cut short by blood thirsty murderers. “I first heard the tragic news at around 11:00pm on Thursday night. I was shocked and was not ready to believe that he has been killed. But then the breaking news started flashing on the major television channels, I was forced to face the reality. With a heavy heart, I switched off the television and reminisced about the student I had the pleasure of knowing for seven years. For four of those years he was my student, during the rest of the three, he took up the role of a responsible journalist who directed all his energy towards his profession,” said Dr Shaista Tabassum, Professor and Chairperson of the IR department.
Dr Tabassum recalled that Wali Khan Babar was admitted to the first year honours class and complete his masters in 2007 by finishing in the first class. He was an activist of the Pakhtoon Students Federation and worked tirelessly to facilitate the poor students of his community. “I taught him law and South Asia courses. Wali was well read and had the ability to retain the things he had learned. In addition to this, he had an astonishing amount of knowledge on Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He knew all about the regions’ tribal feuds as well as their social and economic troubles,” said Dr Tabassum.
Dr Tabassum and her staff became especially emotional when they produced a recommendation letter that Wali Khan Babar had asked them to write. The letter was written at the end of November 2010. “I called Wali to collect the letter, but he was busy at the time and told me he would come at a later date. However, he never collected this letter,” said Riaz, the office In charge of the IR department.
“He was a good student who always respected teachers and even the non-teaching staff. He was a humble person and even after he joined Geo, his attitude remained the same. In fact, I think he became more polite,” added Arshad.
Another official, Sajid Hasan, echoed the sentiments of his colleagues. “Students and especially student activists of various parts showed us no respect. Wali was different. He respected all of us.”