Islamabad: The Pakistani government was striving to provide security and protection to journalists, a minister has said.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan Wednesday told PTV that setting up a judicial commission to probe the killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad was a step in that direction.
Shahzad, 40, was kidnapped in Islamabad on May 29 and his body, bearing marks of severe torture, was found dumped in a canal in Punjab province two days later.
He is widely believed to have been seized by intelligence officials for alleging in an article that terrorists attacked a key naval base in Karachi on May 22 after the Navy refused to free sailors held for suspected militant links.
Awan said the commission will bring forth the facts before the nation as it has summoned some senior journalists to share information regarding Saleem Shahzad's murder.
"The commission is a proper platform for the journalists who want to provide information regarding Shahzad," Associated Press of Pakistan quoted her as saying.
IANS
First Published: Thursday, July 07, 2011, 15:31