President Balochistan Union of Journalists Irfan Saeed, President Quetta Press Club Razaur Rehman, Vice President PFUJ Saleem and others were also present.Afzal But said for the first time in the history of Pakistan press clubs in all the four provinces were locked on the appeal of BUJ and journalists protested but the rulers took no notice.

“There are delaying tactics in the arrest of killers of these journalists. The PFUJ is planning protest in Quetta. If their killers are not arrested within one week ‘chalo chalo Balochistan ki taraf chalo” movement would be launched in which journalists from all over the country would participate and stage sit-ins till the arrest of killers.”

He said the PFUJ had staged dharnas in front of four provincial assemblies and the National Assembly a few months ago. “Our biggest demand is security for all media group offices and journalists should be given security forces protocol on their martyrdom.”

He said the speaker National Assembly and the chief ministers of four provinces had promised the protesting journalists to security and payment of compensation to their relatives on the pattern of the security forces relatives.

“We are tired of lifting the bodies of our colleagues; target killing of Irshad Mastoi and his colleagues is a big tragedy. The federal and provincial governments are responsible for it,” Afzal Butt said.

President PFUJ would lead a protest rally here on Monday (today). The rally would originate from press club and reach in front of Balochistan Assembly Secretariat where a human chain would be formed. Political parties, civil society representatives and journalists have been requested to participate.

The News

Journalist unions held demonstrations in various cities and towns and hoisted black flags on press club buildings.

The call for protests was given by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Council of Pakistan Press Clubs against the killing of Online news agency’s bureau chief Irshad Ahmed Mastoi, reporter Abdul Rasool and accountant Mohammad Younis. They were gunned down inside their office in Quetta on Aug 28.

Mr Mastoi was general secretary of the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ).

In Quetta, the press club was locked at 9am and a protest camp was set up outside where media workers stayed till evening.

Wearing black armbands and holding black flags, the protesters raised slogans against the government and security agencies.

Around 60 press clubs in districts and tehsils of Balochistan also remained closed.

Press clubs in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other cities and towns in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained closed for four to five hours.

Talking to this correspondent on phone from Islamabad, PFUJ president Afzal Butt condemned the killing of the three media workers. He criticised security agencies for their failure to arrest the killers.

He expressed concern over persistent attacks on media personnel in Balochistan and other parts of the country. Leaders of various political parties and office-bearers of Balochistan High Court Bar Association visited the camp in Quetta to express solidarity with media workers.

The protesters were addressed by BUJ president Irfan Saeed, Media Action Committee chairman Shahzada Zulfiqar and Quetta Press Club president Razaur Rehman.

They criticised the government for having failed to protect media workers.

They called for setting up a judicial commission to investigate the murder of the three media workers in Quetta.

DAWN

Mr Mastoi, reporter Abdul Rasool and accountant Mohammad Younis of Online news agency were gunned down at their office on Aug 28.

Carrying banners and placards, the media workers marched through different roads of the city and later gathered outside the press club where they raised slogans against the government and security agencies.

The protesters announced that press clubs across the country would remain closed on Monday in protest against the killing of journalists.

Addressing the protesters, BUJ president Irfan Saeed, Media Action Committee chairman Shahzada Zulfiqar, Quetta Press Club president Razaur Rehman, Abdul Khaliq Rind, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists’ senior vice-president Saleem Shahid and Haji Mohammad Yousuf condemned the killings and expressed dismay over the failure of security agencies to arrest the killers.

They said journalists were being targeted all over the country but the provincial governments had failed in arresting their killers. The country’s intelligence agencies had adequate resources and they should arrest elements involved in the killing of journalists, they added.

They criticised the Balochistan government over its failure to form a media commission for investigating the murders of journalists in the province. Over 40 journalists have been killed in Balochistan over the past five years.

They said journalists would continue their protest until killers of the three media workers were arrested. Reporters from Khuzdar, Kech, Panjgur and some other towns of Balochistan said it had become difficult for them to report impartially the incidents of violence in their areas.

DAWN

Mustoi, 35-year-old Assignment Editor of ARY News in Quetta, Bureau Chief of Online News Agency and General Secretary Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ), was shot dead in his office along with trainee reporter Muhammad Abdul Rasool and media staff Muhammad Younas by indiscriminate firing of unknown assailants. The assailants fled the crime scene.

The bodies were taken to the hospital and initial examinations stated that all three died due to bullet injuries to their chest and heads.

The PFUJ, while expressing solidarity with the families of slain journalists, has announced protests across Pakistan to condemn the killings. The protests will take place today (Friday, August 29).

The PFUJ has termed the deaths as the targeted killing of media workers and asked the authorities to take notice to trace the culprits. The PFUJ said: “The killing of BUJ office bearer is strong and hidden message to intimidate the media across Pakistan.”

The PFUJ added: “The journalists’ community in Pakistan has always been sacrificing their lives while discharging their duty of unearthing truth and many have received threats for doing their duty. We have asked the government time and again to take measures for the safety of the working journalists but all in vain.”

The IFJ said: “The murder of journalists and media worker in their office is a brutal and outright attack on media that is aimed to send a wider message to journalists and their unions. This incident proves just how difficult it is for journalists in Pakistan to perform their duties when their lives are so clearly at risk by myriad of forces attempting to silence them.”

The IFJ has called on Pakistan’s media to remain vigilant to their safety both at work and in their travels and home environment. It has again reinforced its call to Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to take much-needed action on journalist killings, particularly in troubled regions such as Balochistan.

The IFJ expresses its deepest condolence to the families of Irshad Mustoi, Muhammad Abdul Rasool and Muhammad Younas.

International Federation of Journalists

Leaders called upon the government to arrest those responsible for the murder of 30 journalists in different areas of the province.

They said journalists would not compromise on the freedom of press and expression and vowed to continue the struggle for the rights their community.

They said it was the responsibility of the government to provide protection to the media personnel.

DAWN

KARACHI: Protests were staged on Monday in different parts of the country, including Quetta, Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, against the increasing attacks on journalists by Taliban.

Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) has announced three-day mourning against the killing of a private TV workers and attack on the bureau chief of another private TV channel in Karachi.

The BUJ members staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club against the killing of three workers of a private TV channel in Karachi and attempt to kidnap the bureau chief of another private TV channel in Islamabad. The protest call was given by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ). The protesting journalists were carrying placards and banners and chanted slogans condemning the killing of the three Express TV workers and an attempt to kidnap the bureau chief a private TV channel in Islamabad.

Addressing the protesters, Balochistan Union of Journalists President Irfan Saeed and Quetta Press Club President Raza Rehman, speaking on the occasion, said a conspiracy was being hatched against freedom of speech and free press.

“The killing of three workers of a private TV channel and attempt to kidnap the bureau chief of another TV channel is part of the conspiracy,” they said and added journalists were being targeted in violation of the freedom of speech.

They announced three-day mourning in Quetta during which black flag would be hoisted on the building of Quetta Press Club. They said journalists would wear black bands on their hands during the duty hours. The journalists demanded an immediate arrest of those behind the killing of a private TV workers and attack on the bureau chief of another private TV channel.

Meanwhile, the Hafizabad Press Club took out a rally to protest the killing of three members of a private TV channel team in Karachi.

Led by Press Club Chairman Muhammad Yaqoob, the protesters marched from the club to Fawara Chowk, chanting slogans against terrorism. They termed the killings an attack on freedom of the press and called upon the government to arrest the perpetrators and protect journalists. They offered fateha for the departed souls of the deceased and expressed their sympathies with the bereaved families. They also demanded payment of compensation to their heirs.

They also condemned torture of some journalists inside the KPK Assembly and a ban on the entry of media persons in an official function in Lahore despite an invitation extended to them by the Directorate General of Public Relations.

The Nation

The provincial information department of Balochistan alleged in the case that ARY News ran objectionable video clips in its current affairs programme on Aug 13, about the destruction of Quaid Azam Residency in Ziarat district following an attack in June by a separatist group.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Couryt of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry had taken notice of the video and asked Pemra to inform him about action taken against the channel.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) condemned the series of attacks on freedom of press. Pervaiz Shaukat, president PFUJ said all journalists communities condemned the curbs on media and warned country-wide protests from the PFUJ.

BUJ and other media networks called for withdrawal of the case. The BUJ has decided to stage a demonstration in front of the Balochistan Assembly on August 27. Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) also announced the protest in front of Karachi Press Club same day.

Pakistan Press Foundation