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"It's clear that political groups that lost out in recent elections are blaming journalists for their woes," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary, who is leading an IFJ mission to Pakistan.
"Making media scapegoats for their failure is one thing, but it is scandalous that so far police and the authorities have stood by without providing our colleagues with proper protection. They must act now before there are tragic consequences," he said.
The IFJ had also raised the issue last week in a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf in Rawalpindi and is now demanding urgent intervention following a briefing in Islamabad by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, who said reporters' lives were at risk.
The IFJ's appeal today follows a week of confrontation in Karachi that saw a series of assaults and kidnappings of journalists.
On March 13, cameramen and journalists were attacked, chased and beaten while reporting on a demonstration organized by the women's movement of the Mohjir Quami Movement (MQM-H) outside the Karachi Press Club, it said.
A media driver was taken hostage by armed protesters, who warned journalists not to broadcast video footage.
"The first priority is the safety and security of journalists," White said.
"We are pleased that on all sides people assure us there is commitment to change, but our colleagues in Karachi want to see action now to end the intimidation of journalists in the country," he added.
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