Umar Cheema
{{Short description|Pakistani journalist}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Umar Cheema
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1976}}{{cite news |last1=Kazim |first1=Hasnain |title=The Perils of Journalism in Pakistan: Living in Fear of Intelligence Agents |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-perils-of-journalism-in-pakistan-living-in-fear-of-intelligence-agents-a-805639.html |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=Der Spiegel |date=23 December 2011 |language=en}}
| nationality = Pakistani
| occupation = Journalist
| organization = The News
| awards = International Press Freedom Award
}}
Umar Cheema ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|عمرچیمہ}}}}) is a journalist and investigative reporter for the Pakistani newspaper The News. In 2008, he won a Daniel Pearl Journalism Fellowship, becoming the first Pearl fellow to work at The New York Times.{{cite web |url=http://www.danielpearl.org/about_us/fellowship.html |title=Daniel Pearl Foundation |year=2012 |publisher=Daniel Pearl Foundation |access-date=17 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203173515/http://www.danielpearl.org/about_us/fellowship.html |archive-date=3 February 2012 }}
Education
Cheema holds a master's degree in mass communication from Punjab University in Lahore.{{cite web |title=ICIJ member Umar Cheema |url=https://www.icij.org/journalists/umar-cheema/ |website=www.icij.org |publisher=The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists |access-date=19 May 2024 |language=en}} He also attended London School of Economics as a Chevening Scholar (Chevening Scholarship), doing M.Sc. in Comparative Politics (Conflict studies).
Career
Cheema's investigative reporting on sensitive issues of corruption and military interference in politics has made him many powerful enemies. Cheema has contributed to global investigative journalism teams, examining the Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, Pandora Papers, and Swiss Bank disclosures.{{cite news |last1=Cheema |first1=Umar |title=Suisse secrets: Hundreds of Pakistanis included in Swiss bank leak |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/400512-hundreds-of-pakistanis-included-in-swiss-bank-leak |access-date=19 May 2024 |work=www.geo.tv |date=21 February 2022 |language=en}}
Kidnapping
On 4 September 2010, he was abducted, beaten, flogged and sexually assaulted by a group of assailants. They also shaved his head, eyebrows, and mustache.{{cite web|last1=Wolfe|first1=Lauren|title=The silencing crime: Sexual violence and journalists|url=http://cpj.org/reports/2011/06/silencing-crime-sexual-violence-journalists.php|publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists|access-date=8 June 2014|date=7 June 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/opinion/29wed4.html|title=Who Attacked Umar Cheema?|date=2010-09-28|work=The New York Times|page=A30|quote=“I have suspicions and every journalist has suspicions that all fingers point to the ISI,” he said|access-date=3 June 2011}} Cheema reported that his attackers asked him if he was trying to discredit the government with his reporting,{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/blog/2010/09/the-significance-of-umar-cheemas-abduction.php |title=The significance of Umar Cheema's abduction |author=Bob Dietz |date=9 September 2010 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |access-date=17 January 2012}} leading him to believe that they were from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
Aftermath
Following the incident, The New York Times issued an editorial, calling on the Pakistani government to find out who abducted Mr. Cheema and bring them to justice." The Committee to Protect Journalists echoed the call, describing the attack as "a message sent to all journalists in Pakistan" that must be answered. For his brave journalism and willingness to publicly speak about the attack at risk of his own life, the CPJ awarded Cheema its 2011 International Press Freedom Award, "an annual recognition of courageous journalism".{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/awards/ |title=CPJ International Press Freedom Awards 2011 |year=2011 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |access-date=28 May 2011}} In his acceptance speech, Cheema thanked the group for its "recognition of the bold work Pakistani media is doing".{{cite web |url=http://www.cpj.org/awards/2011/umar-cheema.php |title=Acceptance Speech |author=Umar Cheema |date=22 November 2011 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |access-date=28 May 2011}} On 14 April 2011, Cheema also received the Tully Center Free Speech Award of Syracuse University.{{cite web |url=http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/umar_cheema_wins_free_speech_a.html |title=Pakistani journalist Umar Cheema receives free speech award at Syracuse University |date=14 April 2011 |publisher=Syracuse Post-Standard |access-date=28 May 2011}}
Cheema is the father of a son and a daughter. Adil, his son, was two years old when Cheema was abducted.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/opinion/12Cheema.html?_r=1&ref=opinion |title=Dying to Tell the Story |author=Umar Cheema |date=11 June 2011 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=17 January 2012}}
See also
References
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Category:2010s missing person cases
Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics
Category:Enforced disappearances in Pakistan
Category:Formerly missing Pakistani people
Category:Kidnapped Pakistani people
Category:Missing person cases in Pakistan
Category:Pakistani investigative journalists