ISLAMABAD: Absar Alam, a senior journalist and former chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), survived a gun attack on Tuesday by an unidentified armed man.

According to initial reports, Alam was out walking near his home when the shooter fired a shot at him and escaped.

Passers-by rushed him to a nearby hospital where doctors termed his condition out of danger.  

In a video clip shared widely on social media, Alam said he was walking when he was fired at, the bullet hitting his ribs. “I am in high spirits and will remain so; this is my message to the attackers. I am not afraid of these things.”

Although not involved in active journalism since leaving PEMRA in December 2017, he has worked in print and electronic media for many years. He was a resident editor of The Nation at one time.

PFUJ condemns murder attempt on Absar Alam

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist has strongly condemned the murderous attack on senior journalist and former chairman PEMRA, Absar Alam in Islamabad.

President PFUJ Shehzada Zulfiqar and Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. They asked the federal government to probe the incident. “Such incidents cannot deter journalists from raising the voices against lawlessness and freedom of the press in the country,” they said.

The leadership urged all the media stakeholders to forge unity against crimes against journalists and media workers. “We demand urgent constitution of a judicial commission to probe the attack on Absar Alam and crimes against the rest of the media community.”