Pakistan: Channel Five Journalist Sadaf Naeem Crushed To Death Under Imran Khan’s Container
Location: Pakistan, Lahore
Date: October 30, 2022
Pakistani news channel journalist, Sadaf Naeem was killed on Sunday, October 30, after falling off the container carrying former Pakistan prime minister, Imran Khan. Consequently, the moving vehicle crushed her to death. Naeem was sent to report on the former PM’s rally. She had climbed on the container in efforts to get a better sound bite for her interview. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply saddened by the news of Naeem’s passing and urges all newsrooms that cover highly-charged political events to provide proper safety training for their staff.
Imran Khan served as Pakistan’s 22nd prime minister from August 2018 until April 2022. In April 2022, a no-confidence motion was filed against Khan which resulted in his removal as prime minister. The motion was presented due to the government's poor performance in economic and social indicators during Khan’s ministry. Khan is the first prime minister to lose a no-confidence vote. Later, Khan called for mass rallies against his removal and the new government headed by Shehbaz Sharif.
The incident killing Sadef Naeem happened at his latest rally in Lahore, as he led an escorting convoy along with his supporters towards Islamabad, according to party officials and journalists at the scene. Following the incident, PTI Chairman Imran Khan declared that the march would cease for the day. He took to Twitter and said: “Shocked & deeply saddened by the terrible accident that led to the death of Channel 5 reporter Sadaf Naeem during our March today. I have no words to express my sorrow. My prayers & condolences go to the family at this tragic time. We have cancelled our March for today.”
Television journalist Sadaf Naeem was the main breadwinner for her family. Naeem worked as a journalist for 12 years and has two children, aged 17 and 21. She worked with Channel Five as a news reporter. Prior to working at Channel Five, she worked as a TV host on different channels. Pakistani officials disclosed that they would cover the living costs and educational expenses of her two children. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences and described the deceased journalist as a “dynamic and hardworking reporter”. Sharif wrote in a tweet, “Deeply saddened by the death of reporter Sadaf Naeem after falling from a long march container. Cannot feel sad enough over this tragic accident.”
According to eyewitnesses present at the scene of the incident, Sadaf had been trying to climb on the container for a sound bite for Channel Five. However, due to the massive number of participants at Khan’s rally pushing their way forward, she accidentally fell from the container and the vehicle ran over her. After the incident, Naeem was immediately taken to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Lahore and pronounced dead on arrival. Naeem’s husband stated in a police report that her death was accidental and he did not want to take any legal action.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is astonished by the lack of safety protocol on both ends: Channel Five and security guards at the rally. We are petrified by the circumstances that a container taking the former prime minister could exude such oversight that a journalist, a person, can be cycled under. We extend our deepest condolences to Naeem’s grief-stricken family and hope that such incidents will no longer claim journalists’ lives.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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