Another journalist shot dead in Sindh's Ghotki

In a tragic incident, a local journalist, Tufail Ahmed Rind, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Mirpur Mathelo, a town in Sindh’s Ghotki district on Wednesday morning.

According to the police, he was gunned down while he was on his way to drop his children off at school. The assailants opened fire on Rind near the city center, killing him on the spot.

Rind was the general secretary of the Mirpur Mathelo Press Club. His body was shifted to the Mirpur Mathelo hospital for medico-legal formalities.

A large number of journalists and civil society members gathered at the site following the incident, condemning the killing and demanding immediate justice.

Police officials stated that the murder may be linked to a personal dispute. They said Rind had previously been accused in a murder case and that investigators are exploring all angles, including possible motives stemming from that case.

"The case is being treated as a high-priority investigation," a senior police officer said, adding that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the culprits.

This is not the first attack on journalists in the region. At least two other journalists were killed in Ghotki district last year.

In May, journalist Nasrullah Gadani was shot by unidentified assailants near Mirpur Mathelo. He later succumbed to his injuries. In another incident, journalist Bachal Ghuniyo was gunned down in the Rawanti area of Ghotki. His body was transported to Ubauro Hospital.

Ghotki, which borders the katcha area of Sindh, has long been plagued by criminal activities, including murders, kidnappings, and extortion by dacoit gangs who operate with impunity in the lawless riverine belt.

Local journalist unions and press freedom advocates have called for increased protection for media workers, especially in high-risk zones like northern Sindh.