Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead in Karachi on 24 April, shortly after a debate, which she had organised, about alleged human rights violations in Balochistan, Pakistan's largely impoverished south-western province. Mahmud ran an organisation, The Second Floor (T2F), which she described as “an inclusive space where different kinds of people can be comfortable..."
...Balochistan Union of Journalists’ President Irfan Saeed told World Watch Monitor that more than 30 journalists had been killed in the last 10 years in Balochistan, but no government action had been taken.
“Three journalists were killed in the press club last August but no arrest has been made in the case so far,” he said.
“There are more than 120 registered members and these Christians are our brothers. I’ve known them for a long time and they haven’t been spreading Christianity or maligning any other faith. Journalists in Balochistan face threats from separatist movements and counter-separatist movements. Despite all these challenges, we have asked our Christian journalists to take precautionary measures.”
There are a relatively large number of Christians in Quetta and almost all of them are migrants from Pakistan’s Punjab province.
St. Pius X Catholic Church priest Maqbool Nazir told World Watch Monitor that he too thought accusations against the journalists of “spreading Christianity” were baseless.
“These journalists were holding prominent positions in the press club for a long time so someone may want to get them removed from their position,” he suggested.
“We have never heard of Fidayeen-e-Islam before, but there were rumours that there had been graffiti on walls – with this name.”