His Excellency, Musa Javed Chohan, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Canada
High Commission for Pakistan
10 Range Road
Ottawa ON K1N 8J3
November 20, 2007

Dear Mr. Musa Javed Chohan,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE condemns the killing of Mehrunisa Khan, the widow of Pakistani journalist and CJFE Press Freedom Award Winner 2006 Hayat Ullah Khan. Mehrunisa Khan was killed on November 17, 2007 by a bomb planted outside the family house in the town of Mir Ali, in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan near the Afghan border. She left behind five children.

Mehrunisa is the second member of the family to be killed since Hayat Ullah Khan's murder; Khan's child brother, Bashir Khan was also murdered in September 2006. It was suspected that that murder was intended to send a message to the family who had been calling for action in the investigation into Khan's murder. Mehrunisa had received threats prior to her death which were reported to authorities who failed to take action.

CJFE calls on the government of Pakistan to ensure that a timely and thorough investigation is carried out into this and to the other two murders. The government of Pakistan must send a strong message that those who kill journalists and their families will be punished.

We request that you convey our concerns to the government of Pakistan.

I look forward to your response.

Yours truly,

Arnold Amber, CJFE President

Case file number: 201107

c.c: Mr. David Collins, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan
Mr. Maxime Bernier, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs