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PESHAWAR: Unidentified gunmen killed senior journalist Khalil Jibran near his residence in Landi Kotal town, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as he was returning home, District Police Officer (DPO) Khyber Salim Abbas reported on Wednesday.
Jibran was targeted by unknown assailants on a motorcycle while heading home with his friend, Sajjad Advocate, according to DPO Abbas. The journalist’s car broke down near his home, at which point the attackers surrounded him, dragged him out, and opened fire.
Jibran died instantly, and Sajjad was wounded. The culprits fled the scene, and Jibran’s body was transported to a Landi Kotal hospital for a post-mortem examination, Abbas stated. The incident occurred in the Mazreena area, near the Landi Kotal Police Station. Abbas also mentioned that Jibran had previously received threats from terrorists.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took notice of the incident, ordering authorities to swiftly apprehend those responsible for the journalist’s murder. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the killing.
Who was Khalil Jibran?
Khalil Jibran was a senior journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with over 30 years of experience in the media. He was the former president of the Landi Kotal Press Club and was associated with the private news channel Khyber News at the time of his death.
The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) strongly condemned the brutal murder of the Khyber News reporter, urging the KP chief minister and federal interior minister to ensure Jibran’s killers are brought to justice.