On my way back home last evening, I
received a text from my colleague that Mukarram Sahab has been shot and was
taken to a hospital in Peshawar. So
stunned was I with the news that I did not realize when the signal turned green
and only moved when the cars behind me honked. An hour later, I found that
Mukarram Sahabb has succumbed to his injuries.
Mukarram Khan Atif was a senior tribal
journalist from Mohmand Agency and was killed on January 17th 2012 in
a targeted attack after receiving repeated threats to his life. He was offering
evening prayers in a mosque when he was shot in the head by two gunmen.
I have known Mukarram Sahab for only
a few weeks but he made a profound impact in that very short time. I am city
girl, from Karachi, with my fair share of prejudices about the tribesmen and
how they behave. Mukarram Sahab was one of those people who helped me in
looking beyond the stereotype of a stern and unyielding tribesman with his
intelligence, valour, grace, and self effacing sense of humour. He humanized the
area and its people for me, a city dweller who only conjured up images of
Hakimullah Mehsud and the likes in reference with the tribesmen from FATA.
Mukarram Sahab had many interesting stories
about his time as a reporter in the tribal region, be it about interviewing
suspected suicide bombers, traveling to remote areas on foot for stories and
sneaking into difficult areas as a goat shepherd. Back in 2001, Mukarram Sahab was
taken hostage by Afghan Taliban along with a French and a Pakistani journalist.
All three of them were charged with spying for USA by the Taliban government. As none of the other two journalists could
speak Pashto, he was asked to interpret for them by the Taliban government in
Afghanistan. He said that he would do it but he would want to be paid for his
services. He actually managed to charge
the Taliban govt. for interpreting for the two journalists in captivity. I
asked him how he pulled off this incredulous feat and he said that he takes his
work very seriously and believe in being paid for whatever he does. I asked him to write all such fascinating stories
and share it with the world. Mukarram
Sahab agreed and said that one day he would sit down and write. He kept an
archive of all his radio reports for Deewa and thought that he would transcribe
it all when he can spare the time. Unfortunately, he was killed by the TTP for
not giving them enough coverage on those radio reports and the world will never
know about his hard to believe escapades.
Deaths and journalists’ murders are a sad reality in
Pakistan, but what irritates me most
is the way local media reports these incidents. Dawn,
a supposedly responsible newspaper came up with the headline “Pakistani
journalist working for US media shot dead.” The News, a generally horrid newspaper came up with the
headline “VoA journalist assassinated in Charsadda.” What are these reports
trying to imply? That he was working for a US media house and in some way
responsible for his own murder? Are we absolving his murderers of their brutality?
Does his employment for a foreign news
organization make him less of a Pakistani or less of a human? Mukarram Sahab was a Pakistani journalist
working as a correspondent for Dunya TV and a stringer for VoA’s Pashto service
Deewa Radio. It’s about time we claim our people and heroes and give them due
credit for their courage, fearlessness, and bravery.
 |
| Mukarram Khan Atif in Islamabad |
Reporters
Sans Frontier has declared Pakistan the most dangerous country for
journalists second year in a row. I never thought that the first journalist to
die this year would be someone I knew personally. Mukarram Sahab, you were a
fine gentleman and a brave soul. May you rest in peace.
