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Alert

TV reporter's residence attacked again in Islamabad

(PPF/IFEX) - Unidentified gunmen fired at the residence of Azaz Syed, an investigative reporter for the English-language private television channel Dawn News, early in the morning on 7 May 2010 in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

The shots were fired at about 2:00 a.m. local time, while the reporter was in his office. Syed's family, including his father, brother and cousin, were present in the home. Someone suddenly fired at the house door seven times using a high-velocity firearm. According to the reporter's family, after the incident a car sped by the home. Syed's family was not injured in the attack. The reporter's father alerted the police.

Police officers spotted five bullet holes on the main entrance gate and also recovered empty pistol bullet shells from the scene. The police also registered a criminal complaint against the unidentified assailants.

Syed believes that he was targeted because of his journalism work. According to Dawn News, the reporter has been working on a number of important stories, involving the armed forces, intelligence agencies and militant organisations, as well as some political parties and influential personalities in Pakistan.

This is the second attack on Syed's residence. The previous one occurred in the early hours of 19 January when unidentified men hurled bricks at the house. The car's windscreen was smashed as a result. A statement issued by Dawn News TV at the time said the attack occurred after Syed was threatened by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sleuths over an investigative report he was preparing about military action in terror-stricken areas.