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Sindh Journalist Tufail Rind Shot Dead in Ghotki; Two Suspects Arrested
Journalist Tufail Rind was gunned down in Sindh’s Ghotki district while taking his children to school. Police arrested two suspects and vowed swift justice. Journalist groups call it another attack on press freedom.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-10-08
Sindh Journalist Tufail Rind Shot Dead in Ghotki; Two Suspects Arrested

local journalist Tufail Rind was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Wednesday morning in the Mirpur Mathelo area of Sindh’s Ghotki district, police confirmed.

According to initial reports, the incident occurred when Rind was driving his children to school on Jerwar Road near Maso Wah, where armed assailants on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire at his vehicle.

“Rind died on the spot, while his children miraculously escaped unharmed,” the police said in an official statement. Witnesses reported that the attackers fled the scene, spreading panic across the area. The journalist’s body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Police Action and Initial Findings

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anwar Khetran immediately reached the scene, met with the victim’s family, and ordered a thorough investigation. “All individuals involved in the murder will be arrested soon and brought to justice,” SSP Khetran assured.

He confirmed that two suspects have been arrested in connection with Rind’s killing, adding that the journalist had been involved in a longstanding dispute within his community — a conflict that had already claimed two lives. “This appears to be the third murder linked to the same dispute,” he said.

Rind, who worked for Mehran Newspaper and Royal News, was also an office-bearer of the Mirpur Mathelo Press Club. He had survived a previous assassination attempt and had requested security from local authorities, but no effective measures were taken.

SSP Khetran revealed that Rind had previously complained about gunfire outside his home and appreciated the arrests made in that earlier case. “We also arrested one person related to that on Oct. 4,” he added.

Tragically, hours after the murder, Rind’s eight-year-old niece collapsed upon hearing the news of his death. She was rushed to hospital but died on the way to Sukkur due to cardiac arrest caused by emotional shock.

Reactions and Condemnations

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took immediate notice of the killing and directed Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon to submit an urgent report. “Attacks on journalists are attacks on press freedom, which cannot be tolerated,” the chief minister said, assuring justice for Rind’s family.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also condemned the incident, calling it “a tragic and deplorable attack on freedom of expression.” MQM-P’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader Taha Ahmed Khan and Sukkur Mayor Barrister Arsalan Islam Sheikh echoed similar sentiments, demanding justice and protection for journalists.

Protests and Outcry from Journalist Community

Rind’s killing has sparked widespread protests across Sindh, with journalists staging demonstrations and sit-ins outside police offices. Press clubs and journalist associations, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Press Club, and Hyderabad Union of Journalists, jointly condemned the murder.

“Another voice has been silenced — punished for speaking the truth,” their joint statement read, urging the Sindh government to ensure financial support for the victim’s family and to implement strong safety policies for media workers.

PFUJ Vice President Akbar Jafri criticized the government’s “complete failure” to protect journalists, noting that Rind had recently warned of threats to his life on social media. “His appeal was ignored, resulting in the loss of another precious life,” Jafri said.

Prominent journalist Mazhar Abbas also condemned the incident on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Following Imtiaz Mir’s murder, another journalist, Tufail Rind, has been killed within two weeks. This is alarming.”

Rising Threats to Journalists

Pakistan continues to rank among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Between 2006 and 2023, 87 journalists were killed in the country, with only two cases resolved, as per a Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) report.

Recent months have seen a surge in violence against journalists in Sindh. In August 2024, journalist Muhammad Bachal Ghuniyo was shot dead in Ghotki, while in May 2024, journalist Nasrullah Gadani succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained in a similar attack.

As Tufail Rind’s funeral was attended by hundreds of citizens, journalists, and political figures, his killing reignited the national debate over press safety, impunity, and the urgent need for journalist protection laws in Pakistan.
Tagged:

ghotki

PressFreedom

SindhPolice

JournalistSafety

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