Pakistan Orders Expulsion of ‘The New York Times’ Journalist

Declan Walsh (39), the Islamabad bureau chief for world’s prestigious Newspaper ‘The New York Times’, was issued with an expulsion order from Pakistan’s interior ministry on 9th May 2013 ahead of the national elections.

The Irish Journalist, who is originally from Ballina, Co Mayo, was living and working in Pakistan for last nine years and was writing on the country’s fierce political disturbances, mostly for ‘The Guardian’ newspaper of Britain. However, he was hired by The New York Times in January 2012.

The New York Times reported that the Pakistani ministry did not give any explanation for the expulsion order, which was delivered by police officers in the form of a two-sentence letter to Mr. Walsh at his home. “It is informed that your visa is hereby canceled in view of your undesirable activities. You are therefore advised to leave the country within 72 hours,” the order stated. The New York Times has strongly protested the move and has sought for reinstatement of Mr. Walsh in Pakistan.

Jill Abramson, executive editor of ‘The New York Times’ has sent a letter to Malik Muhammad Habib Khan, Pakistan’s interior minister, expressing her concern about the order, where she has described Mr. Walsh as a “reporter of integrity who has at all times offered balanced, nuanced and factual reporting on Pakistan.”
Declan Walsh (39), the Islamabad bureau chief for ‘The New York Times’, was issued with an expulsion order from Pakistan.