Pakistan to probe life bid on Hamid Mir

ISLAMABAD (Pajhwok): The Pakistani government on Sunday decided to constitute a three-member judicial commission to probe the murder attempt on leading journalist Hamid Mir, announcing 10 million rupees in reward for information leading to the arrest of attackers.

Hamid Mir, a senior TV anchor and an interviewer of Osama Bin Laden, was shot thrice by armed motorcyclists in Karachi. However, doctors treating Mir had declared him out of danger.

Amir Mir, brother of Hamid Mir and also a journalist, accused the powerful Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency of staging the attack on his brother who had felt threatened beforehand

He said the ISI had hatched up a plan to assassinate his brother, who had already awared his organization Geo TV and family that the ISI chief had been plotting to assassinate him.

Last year police defused a bomb planted under Hamid Mir’s car before it could go off.

The military in a statement on Saturday described the accusations against the ISI as baseless and “condemned the incident and demanded an independent inquiry.”

Another prominent television anchor Raza Rumi, known for his outspoken critical views last month survived a similar assassination attempt in Lahore. Rumi’s driver died of the injuries he sustained.

Rights groups have called Pakistan one of the most dangerous countries for journalists as seven reporters lost their lives in the country last year.

The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP denied hand in the attack on Hamid Mir despite calling him “secular and an active propagandist against Taliban after attack on Malala.”

Karachi Police Chief Shahid Hayat told journalists Mir was attacked under the bridge passing over Sharea Faisal near airport at around 5:30pm.

His driver rushed the car toward Agha Khan Hospital to provide the injured journalist with medical treatment.

ma/rm