Both suspect the threats have emanated from Pakistan’s powerful security establishment and its premier intelligence service, the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).
The ISI was widely accused of killing a local journalist, Saleem Shehzad, in May 2011.
It vehemently denied the charge.
Journalists’ organisations say at least 29 journalists have been killed in Pakistan during the last five years, many of them specifically for their work.
“We did not speak about this before because we did not want to destabilise things, but the time has come when all of them should come forward and speak about it publicly,” he said, speaking in Urdu.
Saleem Shahzad, who had complained of ISI threats, was killed in May 2011
A commission constituted to investigate the May 2011 killing of journalist Saleem Shehzad is investigating the role of the ISI, among others, as a possible suspect in the case.
Journalists working on security-related issues say they have always been threatened and intimidated by the intelligence agencies and have often been forced to under-report “sensitive” issues.
But in recent months, they have increasingly spoken out in public on the issue.