Malik Siraj Akbar is a journalist based in Quetta, Pakistan. He is working as the Balochistan Bureau Chief of Pakistan’s leading English language newspaper, Daily Times.
Malik has written, mainly about the politics and society of Balochistan, in several leading South Asian English language newspapers and magazines, including Dawn, the News, the Nation, Daily Times, the Friday Times, Newsline, Herald, The Times of India, The Hindu, India and Global Affairs and Frontline (India).
Born in Panjgur district (Balochistan), Malik, 26, holds a Masters degree in International Relations (IR) from the University of Balochistan, Quetta. In 2005, he was nominated for the South Asia Foundation (SAF) Madanjeet Singh Media Scholarship which enabled him to undertake a ten-month long post-graduation course at the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), India.
As a political analyst, Malik has been interviewed or quoted by reputed organizations like the Gurdian, the Washington Times, the New York Times, the National Post (Canada), Tehelka (India), Dawn, Geo News, News TV One, Aaj TV, Samma TV, Business Plus, Pakistan Television, the Voice of America (Urdu Service), All India Radio, Radio Gwank (Swedan), Deutsche Welle (Germany), FM 105, Headlines Today (India), International Crisis Group, Asian Human Rights Commission, Reporters Without Borders, Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) and several other organizations.
As a journalist working in Balochistan, Malik has extensively covered the military operation in the province, the issue of enforced disappearances, the activities of Taliban and their supporters in Balochistan. He has interviewed the three most popular Baloch nationalist leaders –Nawab Mohammad Akbar Khan Bugti, Nawab Khair Baksh Marri and Sardar Attaullah Mengal. He has also interviewed Nawabzada Bramdagh Bugti, a leading Baloch guerilla commander, more than any print journalist in Pakistan.
A notorious Pakistani intelligence agency summoned him on a few occasions in 2007 to “correct his direction” but when the young and naïve journalist approached the Balochistan governor Owais Ahmed Ghani to inform about the threats from the rogue agency, the imported governor snapped, “Young man! Then why don’t you switch to “positive journalism”?” Malik laughed and said:
“Beat me, hate me
You can never break me
Will me, thrill me
You can never kill me
Chew me, sue me
Everybody do me
Kick me hike me
Don’t you black or
white me!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5q59xIFMrg
Hey , I came across your blog about the hand written Urdu Newspaper Musalman published from Triplicane in India , from last November. Do you have contact details of the editor ?
By: Suchitra on November 15, 2007
at 6:33 am
Comrade
I just came across your blog. This is great. I created mine two days ago. You can access it on http://vusa.wordpress.com. I am still working on it. Give it a short while and you will see.
By: vusa on November 24, 2007
at 2:31 pm
Salaam Malik Sahib,
I have read a few of your articles and I have found them very informative. Masha’Allah you write very well. Actually I was looking for your contact details but so far I have not been able to find one. Is it possible for you to contact me via my e.mail address, accessible through the admin section of your blog. Please also visit my website which is http://www.khadimsquetta.com
I would appreciate if you could get back to me.
Many thanks
Khadim Durrani
By: Khadim Durrani on November 27, 2007
at 10:50 pm
Siraj bhai is the Superlative analyst. He is confined to everything MASHALLAH. My Prays always seek him.
By: Talha on January 8, 2008
at 9:41 am
Siraj Bhai is the supreme Journalist.
By: Talha on January 8, 2008
at 9:43 am
By: bibomedia.com on March 7, 2008
at 7:26 am
I am flattered, of course.
By: Malik Siraj Akbar on March 7, 2008
at 4:11 pm
main aap kay news paper main apni photo
By: malik zaman on April 20, 2008
at 9:00 am
Dear Mir Siraj Akbar
Its Omair Rauf Baloch a CA student from Balochistan. I read the interview of the elderly Nawab Khair Buksh Marri and was very impressed from your job. I hope you will continue to bring such good articles for us. Can u tell me more about you sir.
Thank You
By: Omair Rauf Baloch on August 5, 2008
at 4:29 pm
Hi dear m is ur follower and admirer ur intellectualisim
By: Manan on August 12, 2008
at 2:51 pm
Hey Malik,you are a genious.
By: Najeeb Qazi on August 27, 2008
at 4:40 pm
thanks Manan and Najeeb for ur kind words…that sounds music to me hehe
By: gmcmissing on August 29, 2008
at 5:23 pm
salam MS akbar hopful u r fit and fine and doing well for balochs and bring us top of the word.our best wishes are alwayas with you we are looking forword to see on the sky, you are truly a stunning person becz i ve seen so close for long time , we realy miss you young panjgures are looking your way to come and show the right path.MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU.
ILYAS WALI BALOCH
SORDO PANJGUR
By: ilyas wali baloch on September 4, 2008
at 1:15 pm
hey sir jeeeeeeeee u r really graet and i hope u will b da one that he will 4inds his manzil e maqsood (inshallah) alwys missssssss uuu urs aziz iqbal my contact 2 u only 03346915966
By: aziz iqbal on September 15, 2008
at 9:18 pm
aziziqbal_af@yahoo.com
By: aziz iqbal on September 15, 2008
at 9:19 pm
thank you so much Ilyas and Aziz for your kind words. Well, I know it has been a long time since we met each other… I am so delighted that you guys still remember me. I would love to hear from you people.
Aziz, I tried your cell phone once but it was off.
By: gmcmissing on September 16, 2008
at 9:05 pm
Hi Sir Siraj Akbar,
Im realy glade to see your articles and posts anywhere on net or in papers.
I have no words to say about you as comments.
I hope that you as a writter will always writes about BALOCH and BALOCHISTAN.
Umer Jaan Gichki Baloch.
By: UMER Jaan Gichki on November 3, 2008
at 1:44 pm
Dear,siraj
i wuold say that you are doing in stunning job in balochistan media.you were a hidden diamond.i was deeply impressed by your stunning way of writing articles but make them more musical like andre cojise.iam hopefull that you will give me a diamond chance to put up my guts in journalism and i think so that you are a hope of ray.well iam one of yours sdent.i wish you will except the compliments from the core of your innocent heart.i will be seeking for yours argent reply. with best wishes jahanzaib shahwani.
By: Jahanzaib shah.chiktanpangjur on November 22, 2008
at 11:14 am
dear siraj
you have just forgotten us dear.i hope that yuo will continue the episode of writing exotic articles for the public and also write the relaistic articles for us.as a compliment for me contunue this great passion. urgently reply.
jahanzaib shah chiktan bazar
By: jahanzaib shah on December 5, 2008
at 7:24 am
Thank you very much Jahanzain for your kind words.
By: gmcmissing on February 3, 2009
at 9:14 pm
well i am really impressed by your commitment. the way you have highlited the mysterious killings of the innoncent childs its apprecible. you should also highlite the hidden heroies. give us a golden oppurtunity being a journalist. that s my ufone 03342487542
By: jahanzaib shahwani on February 24, 2009
at 1:10 pm
best of golden wishes . make them more engetic hope you dont mind sir.
By: jahanzaib shahwani on February 24, 2009
at 1:12 pm
siraj bhai salam”
You great job its very good site for us to know the truth news about quetta city.
thanks alot siraj bhai
God bless you
By: M.MoosA HazarA on March 6, 2009
at 9:23 am
thank you very much Moosa bahi for liking the blog. Keep visiting.
By: gmcmissing on March 6, 2009
at 12:43 pm
dear siraj
i think that is wonderfull job i read your artical about hazara that was nice keep it up
By: zakir changezi on March 13, 2009
at 11:50 pm
thanks a lot Zakir for stopping by. Do come again on this blog and give your valuable suggestions.
By: gmcmissing on March 14, 2009
at 5:41 am
thanx mt dear for ue effort to baloch nation
balochi man from dubai !
By: gulf baloch on March 22, 2009
at 4:01 pm
Hi siraj be happy and live a long
Thanks a lot to highlight Bloch’s struggle.I hope you will continue
your job .
By: salah Baloch on April 15, 2009
at 8:53 pm
Dear siraj,
waja siraj tawo wati qara imandaree go dema beragaye
insha Allah tawo hum dema rawee.
By: Ashraf salani on April 15, 2009
at 9:02 pm
Hi Siraj,
Be happy and live a long thank you so much to highlight baloch case i hope you will continue ur job.
Thanks,
By: salah Baloch on April 15, 2009
at 9:25 pm
Waja Malik, Wati juhda pa baloch raj ae bandat ae minzin ae hatira barjah bedaret. Hawand kullen balochana baloch raj ae hizmat kanag ae tofeeqa bedant.
Thaee brat o sangat,
Shohaz Baloch
shohaz_baloch@hotmail.com
http://www.shohazbaloch.blogspot.com
By: Shohaz Baloch on April 18, 2009
at 6:08 pm
I want to thank you friends for your kind words. You friends give me courage to maintain this blog. It is hard to carry on but you friends make it possible.
By: gmcmissing on May 14, 2009
at 11:35 am
[...] About the writer – Malik Siraj Akbar is a journalist based in Quetta Pakistan. He is working as the Balochistan Bureau Chief of Pakistan’s leading English language newspaper, Daily Times. He can be reached at stunningmalik@gmail.com More about him click here [...]
By: If I compromise on Baloch movement, my followers will kill, replace and forget me, says Bramdagh Bugti « Indus Asia Online Journal (iaoj) on September 11, 2009
at 3:36 pm
I salute you for such courage brother,now i am your fan.
By: Meer Abdul Razzaque Talpur on September 16, 2009
at 4:15 pm
You are doing a stunning job and it is very impressive. Your articles have a good effect on the readers. I think you would start a fect finding analysation. i hope you for a good job.
By: Tahir Ali Bugti on September 27, 2009
at 2:14 am
brilliant work sir.my heart is in quetta and the mountains around it which we climbed when young in 1968-1983
By: A.H Amin on October 19, 2009
at 2:00 am