Paris, May 21 (IANS/AKI): United Nations cultural organisation Unesco chief Audrey Azoulay on Monday deplored the recent murder of two journalists in Pakistan and urged their killers to be brought to justice.

"I condemn the killing of Ali Sher Rajpar and Malik Amanullah Khan.

"Bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice is essential for press freedom in the country and for journalists' ability to inform citizens and hold authorities to account," Azoulay said in a statement.

Ali Sher Rajpar, a journalist for Sindhi daily newspaper Awami Awaz, was shot dead on May 4 in the southern Pakistani city of Padidan outside the local press club, of which he was chairman. He had reportedly requested police protection after receiving threats.

Malik Amanullah Khan, a reporter for the local Meezan-e-Adal newspaper and Chairman of the Parowa Press Club, was killed by unidentified gunmen on April 30 in the capital of Dera Ismail Khan District, northwest Pakistan.

Rajpar and Khan were the first journalists reported to have been killed this year. At least three journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018. Two of them had been covering drug trafficking, according to international press watchdog Reporters without Borders.

Pakistan was ranked 142 in this year's World Press Freedom index, down from 139 last year.