It will take time and political will for the truth to emerge about the murder of Saleem Shahzad, the Pakistani journalist whose body was found yesterday. But political will might be hard to come by in this case.
As the Pakistan bureau chief for Asia Times and an Italian news agency, Shahzad was “one of the most well-informed writers about Al Qaeda, Taliban and other militant groups”, according to a colleague.
He had a history of strong investigative reporting on the snarled relationships between the ISI, the armed services and Al Qaeda. The last article he published before his Sunday disappearance revealed that Al Qaeda’s recent attack on a Pakistani navy base was not just retaliation for the Osama bin Laden’s death.
Through his long-nurtured network of contacts, Shahzad reported that the attack was actually revenge for the Navy’s crackdown on Al Qaeda members in its lower ranks. The bin Laden killing might have galvanised Al Qaeda’s plan, but it didn’t initiate it.
Shahzad’s enterprising reporting was especially valuable in Pakistan, where there is almost no transparency about the convoluted, fraught and ever-changing forces that shape life in the country.
That those forces should turn on him – speculation is growing that he was kidnapped, tortured and killed by the ISI – is not entirely surprising. Pakistani journalists are often targeted for their work. At least 16 media workers were killed in the country last year.
So it might not be surprising that Shahzad was a target, but it is a great shame.
In a recent report on media in Pakistan, Reporters Without Borders said many journalists in the country “are still young and often inexperienced,” and “the authorities have little consideration for a profession that keeps on raising awkward issues.” In such a setting, a dedicated and seasoned reporter is invaluable.
If the armed forces are making an honest attempt to purge their ranks of militants, if parts of the ISI have cooperative relationships with militant groups, then Pakistan’s public has the right to know. How else can they agitate for the changes they want? How can they know which politicians to support or kick out of office?
Shahzad knew that his work put his life on the line. Despite that, he kept reporting. Such determination to uncover and report the truth is critical in any nation, and particularly in a country with the global significance and lack of transparency of Pakistan.
So here’s hoping that there will be justice for Saleem Shahzad, and the family he leaves behind. Here’s hoping that the people who killed him are eventually taken to task for his murder. And here’s hoping that brave journalists will be celebrated and supported, not mowed down.
