Rawalpindi: Police foiled an attempt to assassinate DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer after arresting three suspects hired to assassinate him for Rs200,000, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Suspects Arrested Near Journalist’s Residence
Investigating Officer Nabeel Haider said the suspects had monitored Naseer’s house for three days before planning the attack. They had received Rs99,000 in advance through a bank transfer, and one suspect had procured weapons.
“Police arrested the three men and seized their vehicle and weapons near the journalist’s residence,” Haider said. The suspects were produced before a district magistrate, who rejected the request for physical remand and sent them to jail on judicial remand instead. Dawn.com reported this shocking news on Friday morning.
FIR Filed Over Murder Conspiracy
In the FIR, under Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Tahir Naseer stated that around 4 pm, he received a call from his cousin about suspicious men inquiring about him at a local bakery.
“When I arrived, I saw a white car with three young men,” Naseer said. “They were asking about me and showing my picture. My cousin said they identified themselves as Ahmed, Akash, and Vishal.”
Motive Linked to Investigative Reporting
Naseer said the attempted attack appeared linked to a vlog and TV report he produced about a private company. He had previously filed a case against the company owners under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the PPC after receiving threats via WhatsApp from international numbers.
Growing Threats to Journalists
According to the Pakistan Press Foundation, 2025 has seen increasing threats to journalists. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) continues to rank Pakistan among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, citing high impunity rates.
