Reporter and cameraperson attacked by armed motorcyclists in Sukkur district; motives remain unclear
On May 29, Time News reporter Haider Mastoi and his cameraperson Khan Muhammad Pitafi were attacked by three armed motorcyclists in the Achhiyoon Qubbiyoon area of Rohri in Sindh province’s Sukkur district. The assailants, who intercepted Mastoi and Pitafi as they traveled by motorcycle, opened fire, shooting Mastoi four times in the right leg and once in the arm.
Following the attack, Pitafi, with help from local residents, rushed Mastoi to Sukkur Civil Hospital. He was later transferred to Liaquat National Hospital in Karachi for further treatment. Mastoi is currently in a serious condition.
On May 31, Pitafi told the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) that after finishing work, the duo was returning home on a motorcycle when they were intercepted by three armed individuals, also on motorcycles, approximately one kilometer from their residence.
According to Pitafi, Mastoi quickly advised him to hand over their mobile phones and wallets to the assailants. However, after receiving the items, the attackers threw them aside and aggressively inquired about their castes. Following their responses, one of the attackers struck Pitafi with the butt of a pistol.
The situation escalated as one of the assailants fired four shots at Mastoi, hitting him twice. Another attacker fired seven shots, with three striking Mastoi, resulting in his severe injuries.
Khairpur Union of Journalists Senior Vice President Azam Mastoi, also a relative of the victim, stated that this was a targeted attack. He mentioned that the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Sukkur, Amjad Shaikh, visited the hospital and indicated that authorities were close to apprehending the suspects, urging confidentiality and patience until the evening of May 31. The First Information Report (FIR) has not yet been registered.
Khairpur Press Club President Khan Muhammad told PPF that the attack was targeted, though the exact motive remains unclear. “Haider has a strong journalistic profile and covers a wide range of issues,” he said.
Time News Director of News Ashfaq Azar also described the incident as a targeted attack, emphasizing that it was not a robbery. He noted that while Mastoi covers various local issues, he was not working on specific investigative reports at the time of the attack.
Lala Asad Pathan, the Finance Secretary of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), told PPF that the incident involving Mastoi was a robbery attempt. According to Pathan, Pitafi, the cameraperson, complied with the robbers by handing over his mobile phone and wallet. However, Mastoi resisted, which prompted the assailants to open fire.
In a statement, the PFUJ condemned the attack and said “that it was a matter of great concern that attackers openly intercepted Mastoi and his colleagues to rob and upon resistance opened fire.”
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