Senior journalist Khalil Jibran was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen near his residence in Landi Kotal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attack occurred on Wednesday evening.
Jibran, who worked for a private news channel, was targeted while returning home with his friend, Sajjad Advocate.
District Police Officer (DPO) Khyber, Salim Abbas, reported that the journalist's car broke down near his home. At this point, the assailants, riding a motorcycle, surrounded the vehicle, dragged Jibran out, and opened fire, killing him on the spot. Sajjad Advocate sustained injuries in the attack.
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The incident took place in the Mazreena area, close to the Landi Kotal Police Station. Jibran's body was transported to a Landi Kotal hospital for a post-mortem examination.
DPO Abbas mentioned that Jibran, who had previously served as the president of the Landi Kotal Press Club, had received threats from terrorist groups. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, has directed authorities to arrest the perpetrators promptly.
The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) condemned the incident and criticized the authorities for failing to protect journalists, who continue to face violence and threats.
In a related incident, last month, journalist Nasrullah Gadani was attacked by motorcycle-riding assailants near Korai Goth in Sindh. Gadani was critically injured and later succumbed to his wounds despite being transferred to a hospital in Karachi for advanced treatment.
