profession,” said Sarki, who visited the United States earlier this year as part of a study tour for Pakistani journalists. Some journalists view the attacks as inevitable. “After one does a controversial story, for example, something that ticks off an intelligence agency or a political party known to have a massive militant wing, no matter what precautions you take, one can’t really escape their dragnet,” said reporter Salman Siddiqui, who covers the politics and terrorism beat. His parents and fiancée pester him about finding another line of work. “I feel very passionate about what I do and the risks that come along the way don’t seem to matter much in the end,” wrote Siddiqui in an email.
One of those is Umar Cheema, a soft-spoken investigative reporter who has stared down terror and emerged as a symbol of defiance in Pakistan’s journalism community. Cheema was driving home around 3 a.m. after meeting friends in an Islamabad cafe. Suddenly his car was forced off the road and men in black commando uniforms placed him under arrest on a fabricated hit and run charge.
“There are so many journalists in Pakistan today who continue to face threats but still carry on with their job and do what they do best: bring out the truth no matter what.” — Salman Siddiqui Reporter
CIMA Research Report: Pakistan
He singles out “heroes” like Wali Khan Babar, a Geo TV reporter killed in Karachi by militants affiliated with a political party in January 2011, and Saleem Shahzad, the terrorism expert murdered in May of that year. “There are so many other journalists in Pakistan today who continue to face threats but still carry on with their job and do what they do best: bring out the truth no matter what,” said Siddiqui.52
He was hustled into a black land cruiser, handcuffed, and driven with his eyes covered to an abandoned building. There he was stripped naked, hung upside down and whipped. His hair, eyebrows, and moustache were shaved, leaving deep gashes. One of his tormentors asked, “Have you ever been tortured before?” “No,” Cheema replied. “These marks will stay with you forever, offering you a reminder never to defy the authorities,” his assailant told him. They videotaped him naked in humiliating positions and warned that the images would be posted on YouTube if he told of the attack. One of the ringleaders taunted him: “If you can’t avoid rape, enjoy it.” Cheema was sexually assaulted before being dumped on a roadside 100 miles outside of Islamabad with a final warning to remain silent. The attack occurred on September 4, 2010.
Center for International Media Assistance
25