Friday, October 14 2005 20:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: The earthquake had a devastating impact on the media in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Balakot in North West Frontier Province with many journalists either missing or injured or suffering heavy loss of life in their families.

According to the list of affected released by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), three journalists have been missing and are presumed killed in Saturday's (Oct 8, 2005) 7.6-magnitude quake.

The journalists who could not be traced so far included Shahjehan, correspondent for daily 'Shumal,' Naseer Anwar, correspondent for daily 'Ausaf', Malik Naushad of daily 'Assas sd sldo Jehangir Awan and Jehangir of 'Muhasib.'

Khurshid Zaman, who sustained serious injuries himself, lost seven family members while M Fareed of daily 'Ausaf' lost three children. Javed Iqbal, a freelancer who was injured, lost his wife, while Azhar Awan of daily Aaj, lost four family members. Most of them also lost their houses.

In Muzaffarabad, Abdur Rasheed Malik, Editor of daily Muhasib, lost his wife. Shazad Afridi of INP wire service lost his entire family while Akhlaq Sagar of daily 'Siasaat' lost five family members.

Some of the Kashmiri journalists who worked in Islamabad and Karachi also reported of heavy losses of their families in PoK.

Naeem Khokar of daily 'Jang', Karachi lost 44 family members, Ahmed Hasan of 'Dawn' daily Islamabad lost two daughters, brother and an uncle, Waqar Fani of Nawa-e-Waqat lost eight family members and Sardar Jehanzeb of daily Jinnah lost wife, father-in-law and two other family members.

Umer Farooq of daily 'Islam' lost his mother. Mushtaq Minhas of Aaj TV lost four members in the family.