A journalist with Ontario-based Pakistan Post newspaper was assaulted by two men who had warned him to stop writing against Islam. Jawaad Faizi was attacked in Mississauga, Ontario on the evening of April 17, according to the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE).
Faizi described being attacked by two men in his car outside the home of his editor, Amir Arain. Two men, one armed with a cricket bat, smashed the car windows and hit Faizi inside the car. When they saw Faizi call 911 on his cellphone, they fled the scene. Paramedics and police, and his editor arrived soon afterwards.
According to Jawaad Faizi, the two men threatened him and said that he should cease writing against Islam, and against the Pakistan-based religious organisation, Idara Minhaj-ul-Quran, and its leader, cleric Allama Tahir-Ul-Qadri. Allama Tahir-Ul-Qadri is a frequent visitor to Canada.
According to globeandmail.com, Faizi said that Tahir-ul-Qadri told his followers he had written the Prophet Mohammed's name on the surface of the moon. Two weeks ago, his newspaper ran an article — picked up from a Pakistani news outlet — that questioned whether Tahir-ul-Qadri could have done this. Faizi wrote a column on the topic.
After publication of these and other articles about Minhaj-ul-Quran that the Pakistan Post printed beginning in January, Faizi said, he and Arain began receiving harassing phone calls. Arain said, "They were saying, 'You are not a Muslim, you are supporting Christians.' "
On April 16, they filed a complaint with the police, and had also informed police about other threats they received in January. Police say that they could not comment on the status of the investigation, but because of the nature of the attack this will probably be sent to the Criminal Investigation Unit and the Diversity Relations Unit.
"That this attack happened here in Canada is of great concern to us," said CJFE Executive Director Anne Game. "We call on the police to treat this matter extremely seriously and ensure that a full investigation into the attack is initiated immediately."
The attack, which sent Jawaad Faizi to hospital for treatment of injuries to his left arm, has caused him to miss two days of work. And on Wednesday, he received a call from the Vice-Principal of the school his three children attend, asking him to keep them at home, as they may pose a security risk.
"I had so many problems back home in Pakistan as a journalist, but I'm shocked that this is happening here," Faizi, 35, told Mississauga.com. "I'm afraid for my wife and children because these people could attack again. They are still out there.
Arain said he's concerned about the impact this will have on journalists writing about faith-based issues, and added that freedom of the press needs to be protected. He said the paper will not be intimidated and will continue to write about issues affecting the Pakistani community.
Pakistan Post is a weekly paper available in both English and Urdu.
Faizi said that he would be able to identify his attackers, which may put him at even greater risk of further attacks. In a phone interview with CJFE, Jawaad said "I had so many problems back home [in Lahore, Pakistan] as a journalist, but I'm shocked that this is happening here."
