Pakistan's first transgender news anchor survives gun attack, IFJ condemns

Marvia Malik Pakistanrsquos first transgender news anchor for Kohenoor TV has survived an ambush by two gunmen on return to her Lahore home Malik previously has been receiving death threats from unknown individualsThe International Federation of Journalists IFJ and its Pakistan affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists PFUJ condemned the attack on Malik and urged the Pakistani government to expedite investigations into the incident to protect working journalistsOn February 25 a case was registered against unknown assailants for their attack on Marvia Malik Pakistans first transgender news anchor According to a First Information Report launched by the anchor she was fired upon by two suspects on return to her home from a nearby pharmacy Malik has since left Lahore to ensure her safety returning recently for a surgery IFJ said in a statementAlso readMumbai Police issues preventive order for city shares list of prohibitory acts and exemptionsAccording to her police statement quoted by the International Federation of Journalists statement the television presenter said that she had received threatening phone calls and texts from unknown numbers for her advocacy for the transgender community She also asserted that her activism was a ldquomajor factorrdquo in the attempted killingSince 2013 journalists in Pakistan have faced increasing threats violence and legal repression with investigations often failing to identify perpetrators In 2022 8037 of IFJdocumented deaths in Pakistan resulted from gun violenceIn 2018 Malik became Pakistanrsquos first transgender news anchor at the age of 21 after funding her way through journalism school by working as a makeup artist in the fashion sector She previously made history by being the first transgender model to walk the runway at the Pakistan Fashion Design Councils annual fashion showThe PFUJ said ldquoThe PFUJ strongly condemns the armed assault on Marvia Malik and requests the IG Punjab Police arrest and imprison the perpetrators Violence in this manner is unacceptable and the offenders should be apprehended and jailedrdquoThe IFJ said ldquoPakistans government must take appropriate measures to ensure media workers safety and security as required by law Threats of assault violence and death limit the capacity for journalists to operate without fear The IFJ condemns the threats and attack against Marvia Malik and urges Pakistani authorities to investigate the incident swiftly and transparentlyrdquoThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever