April 4, 2024
Charikar, Parwan province, Islamabad, Pakistan – The Pakistani authorities must investigate the attack on exiled Afghan journalist Abdul Alim Saqib, known as Ahmad Hanayish in Islamabad and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Afghanistan Journalists Center said Thursday.
Ahmad Hanayish, is the head of private radio Kahkashan in Parwan province and a journalist for Radio Azadi (formerly Radio Free Afghanistan), a branch of the U.S. government's Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). He was seriously injured in an armed attack in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.
A relative of Ahmad Hanayish told AFJC that on Wednesday, April 3, around 11:00 p.m., as the journalist was returning from a gym to his residence in the "G6" area of Islamabad, two armed men on a motorcycle shot him. According to the family member, Hanayish was hit by at least three bullets while trying to escape, with one bullet striking his head and two hitting his leg. He was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined that the head wound was not deep but surgery would be required for the leg injuries.
The family member mentioned that the attackers fled the scene and the motive for the attack remains unknown. Ahmad Hanayish is a well-known journalist from Panjshir province. He founded private radios Kahkashan and Donya in Parwan province, and also managed Khorasan radio in Panjshir province while working as a regional reporter for Radio Azadi (RFE/RL). Two of his radio stations, Donya and Khorasan, ceased operation following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. Hanayish, also a member of the board of directors at AFJC until August 2021, left Afghanistan for Pakistan and has been living in the capital, Islamabad, with his family since January 2023. He is seeking refuge in Europe or North America.
AFJC condemns the attack on Ahmad Hanayish and calls on Pakistani authorities to investigate the incident and provide necessary medical treatment for the journalist. Additionally, AFJC urges authorities to prioritize the safety of Hanayish, his family, and other Afghan exiled journalists in Pakistan. There have been numerous reports of threats, and harassment against Afghan immigrants in Pakistan, particularly journalists, over the past two years, with accusations against the Pakistani police in many cases.