AMN
An international index for press freedom has placed Pakistan among the most dangerous countries for journalists along with the Philippines and Bangladesh.
The 2017 World Press Freedom Index, prepared by international media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranked Pakistan 139th out of 180 countries surveyed for the report. The report said, although the country has more press freedom than many other nations, targeted killing by terrorists, religious gangs and mafia make them dangerous for journalists.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has listed 60 journalists who have been killed in Pakistan since 1994. Iraq tops this nine-member list, followed by Syria and Mexico. Afghanistan was placed at number seven.
The report said, two countries – China and Vietnam- are the world’s biggest prisons for journalists and bloggers.
It also listed ‘press freedom predators’ at the head of the world’s worst dictatorships, including China, North Korea, and Laos, which it said are news and information black holes.