Journalist survives gunfire in Pakistan; driver dies in attack before gunmen escape

LAHORE, Pakistan - Gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire overnight on a car carrying a senior journalist in eastern Pakistan, killing his driver before escaping, police said Saturday.

Senior police off icer Chaudhry Mohammed Shafiq said journalist Raza Rumi escaped unhurt in Friday’s attack in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province.

The attack on Rumi, an anchorman at Express News,came as he was leaving the private TV channel’s offices, he said.

No one has claimed responsibility, but such threats and attacks against journalists are common in Pakistan, blamed on Islamic militantsand armed ethnic factions. Rumi has been critical of Pakistani militant organizations.

The latest attack came days after the New Yorkbased Committee to Protect Journalists urged the government to take steps for ensuring journalists’ safety.

Also Saturday, a roadside bomb targeting a security force vehicle in the southwestern city of Quetta killed a teenage girl and wounded 18 people, police officer Mohammed Afzal said.

It was not immediately clear whether any security personnel were harmed in the attack, he said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Front Section, Pages 15 on 03/30/2014

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