The journalists gathered at the protest camps set up in front of all press clubs across Pakistan and held banners carrying slogans like “Freedom of Expression: Under Threat,” and “Not scared of threats!”.

The speakers deplored that Geo News was not restored completely and all the channels of Geo family were pushed back from their original numbers on the cable. They asked the government to undo these discriminatory steps. They slammed the act of making no-go areas for Geo Television and the Jang Group newspapers and stopping the cable operators from disseminating the information provided by news channels.

A large number of journalists from print and electronic media and members of the civil and members of the civil society organisations visited the protest camps and said they would start a countrywide protest campaign on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) if unannounced curbs are not lifted and no-go areas not eliminated against Geo Television and the Jang group newspapers.

PFUJ president Afzal Butt while addressing the charged and protesting journalists in front of National Press Club (NPC) said Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) is shrinking employment opportunities for the journalists by taking television channels off the air so they cannot tolerate any situation in which the people belonging to the media industry are pushed to the wall to conceal wrongdoings of the state.

He said senior journalists affiliated with the print and electronic media can play an important role in giving a constructive direction to the media industry that has been serving the nation with commitment, dedication and pride.

NPC president Shehryar Khan said the media industry always played a pivotal role in safeguarding national interests and ideological boundaries of Pakistan and it would continue to do so in the face of challenges and threats, adding “No one can question the patriotism of journalists who always prefer national interests despite facing potential threats even to their lives.”

Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) president Ali Raza Alvi said the government should make all out efforts to ensure that there are no no-go areas for any newspaper or news channel because any discriminatory act can undermine the freedom of press in the country.

RIUJ secretary general Bilal Dar said, “We hope the government would rectify the affairs of Pemra that should realise the importance of freedom of press and take steps in line with rules and procedures.”

President of Punjab Union of Journalists Waseem Farooq said “Pemra should follow the rules and procedures and decisions of the courts and if it does not do so then the incumbent government must take steps against the responsible persons,” he said.

In Quetta, President of Balochistan Union of Journalists Irfan Saeed while speaking at the protest camp said there should be rule of law in the country and every state institution including Pemra should work under the law instead of taking illegal steps to cause damage media industry.

Speaking to the protesting journalists Karachi Press Club president Imtiaz Faran said they would speed up their movement in the coming days because they seem that the government is paying no heed to their demands.

The News

While speaking on the occasion office-bearers of Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ), Peshawar Press Club (PPC) and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned the cold-blooded murder of an innocent journalist and demanded judicial inquiry into the case.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with demands for protection to the journalists they shouted slogans against the killers and asked for unveiling the conspirators involved in the bloodshed.

Addressing the protesting journalists, president PPC Nasir Hussain lamented that journalists were being killed in the country, including Fata, but the government was least bothered to properly investigate these cases.

In the prevailing situation, he said mediapersons were feeling themselves completely insecure as 12 journalists had been killed in line of duty in Fata during the last five years, but no accused had been arrested so far. They said journalists in the country in general and in tribal belt, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in particular, were facing serious problems in performing their duties due to worst law and order situation.

They said the killers of Miranshah Press Club president Malik Mumtaz, Khushnud Ali Sheikh of Karachi and Mahmood Afridi should be arrested forthwith.

Meanwhile, Gandhara Union of Journalists (GUJ) and Abaseen Union of Journalists (AUJ) on Saturday demanded provision of security to the media people in the face of the attacks on journalists.

Haji Wali Mohammad, president of AUJ, and Mohammad Farooq, president of GUJ, speaking at separate meetings held here demanded arrest of the killers of journalists Malik Mumtaz of North Waziristan and Mehmood Afridi of Kalat, Balochistan.

Condemning the attacks on the journalists, participants said media persons were targeted as they acted to bridge the gab between the government and masses, putting everything to the people.

Wali Muhammad said: “It is the responsibility of the government to provide security to journalists.”

Source: Dawn