Aatish Mehsud
FOE Link or motive by PPF
ConfirmedCase Update Status
No one arrested yet.
Summary of Case
"Aatish Mehsud, reporter of daily Wehdat was assaulted by Najeeb Mehsud – a local contractor for the construction of road – when he was coming from the coverage of a tribal meeting locally known as Jirga near village Toora of South Waziristan, KPK on October 16, 2022. The attack's First Information Report (FIR) was filed at Tiaraza Police Station under sections 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 337 - A I bailable cognizable crime of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). However, Jalal Mehsud, an Aatish fellow, alleged that the police did not provide comprehensive and correct information in the report. Aatish told PPF that he was on his way home after the news coverage when he was ambushed and violently beaten for half an hour by a local builder and his three accomplices, resulting in significant injuries, including a fracture. Mehsud is being treated at Hayat Medical Hospital. He went on to say that the attacker, Najeeb, threatened him, saying, ""Why are you reporting against us? We will murder you!"" Aatish informed PPF that ""Around three to four days ago, I covered a news story on a road from Wana to Makeen, and for the construction of this road, the government has passed approval for funds and given responsibility to the contractor Najeeb Mehsud for repairing the road, but the road is in bad condition, and the contractor is using defective materials,"" Aatish added. Aatish demanded legal assistance from journalist bodies and government. According to Nasir Hussain, president of the Khyber Union of Journalists, the attack on Journalist Aatish Mehsud is extremely condemnable, and the government should provide safety and legal aid to the reporter. ""Journalism is a precious profession, and in society, unmasking the perpetrators is a responsibility of journalists, and such attacks are shrinking the space of press freedom,"" Hussain added. According to Nasir Dawar, editor of the newspaper Wahdat, Aatish Mehsud is experiencing threats as a result of his news stories highlighting corruption in road building."
Category of Incident
Assault
ICCS Status
ICCS Divisions: 0201- Assaults and threats
ICCS Group: 02011- Assault
ICCS Class: 020112- Minor assault
ICCS Crime: Assaults and threats
Reported By
Date of incident
16
Month
October
Year
2022
Name of affected person
Aatish Mehsud
Other affected persons
No other person was affected
Name of affected organization
Daily Wehdat
Other affected organizations
No other organisation was affected
Action by
Najeeb Mehsud
City
South Waziristan
Province
KPK
Designation
Regional Reporter
Professional category
Journalist
Age of victim
28
Marital Status
SingleCompensation Details
Amount of compensation announced by government: Compensation not announced
Date of compensation announcement by government: Compensation not announced
Date of compensation paid by government: Compensation not announced
Amount of compensation announced by others: Compensation not announced
Date of compensation announced by others: Compensation not announced
Date compensation paid by others: Compensation not announced
FIR Details
Was FIR registered ?: No
Court Details
Was case investigated ?: FIR was not registered
Court where case was presented: FIR was not registered
Name of prosecuting lawyer: FIR was not registered
Date of first court hearing:
Date of last court hearing:
Status of court case: FIR was not registered
Journalist Union Status
PFUJ
"According to Nasir Hussain, president of the Khyber Union of Journalists, the attack on Journalist Aatish Mehsud is extremely condemnable, and the government should provide safety and legal aid to the reporter. ""Journalism is a precious profession, and in society, unmasking the perpetrators is a responsibility of journalists, and such attacks are shrinking the space of press freedom,"" Hussain added. "
APNS
N/A
CPNE
N/A
PBA
N/A
Condemn Status
Colleague of victim
Condemned
Employer organization
According to Nasir Dawar, editor of the newspaper Wahdat, Aatish Mehsud is experiencing threats as a result of his news stories highlighting corruption in road building.
Press Club Status
Press club 1: Condemned
Press club 2: N/A
Press club 3: N/A