Issuing notices to Punjab chief secretary, Punjab secretary and the inspector general of the Punjab Police, the committee gave the order during a meeting today.

March 28 was another dark day in the history of Pakistani journalism when the Express Media Group came under a fifth attack a little over two months after three of its staffers were killed in a brazen gun attack in Karachi.

Unidentified gunmen had opened fire on Rumi’s car in Lahore, injuring him and killing his driver. The attack had taken place just a few hundred yards away from the Express News office in Raja Market, which Rumi had just left after hosting his programme ‘Khabar Se Agay’.

In the meeting of the Standing Committee today, no representative of the Punjab police was present. Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid asked the committee to take serious notice of their absence, after which the committee issued the orders.

No details regarding the attack on the Express News anchor have been shared with the committee as of yet.

Previous attacks on Express Media Group

March 19, 2014: A bomb was defused outside Express News Peshawar bureau chief Jamshed Baghwan’s house in Murshadabad area of Peshawar.

January 17, 2014: Three Express News staffers – technician Waqas , driver Khalid, and guard Ashraf – were killed when the DSNG van of the channel came under attack in Nazimabad, Karachi. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had taken responsibility for the attack.

December 2, 2013: Three people were injured when the Karachi office came under attack. Two hand grenades were hurled at the office building, while unidentified assailants had opened indiscriminate fire.

August 16, 2013: Four armed men had fired indiscriminately outside the entrance of the Express Media Group office in Karachi, injuring two members of staff, including a guard who is paralysed.

Express Tribune

“This house strongly condemns the attack on Raza Rumi in Lahore in which his personal driver was killed. This house recommends the Sindh government approach the federal government to take action against the culprits behind this cowardly action of terrorists,” reads the resolution moved by MQM legislator Sumeta Afzal Syed on Monday.

“The house also reaffirms its commitment to the freedom of expression and speech as it is a basic right of all citizens of Pakistan, and we all members stand united with our journalists and media persons,” it adds.

Earlier, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the recent recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) including non-admissibility of DNA test as evidence in rape cases, underage marriages and second marriage.

Lawmakers from the PPP, PML-F, MQM, PML-N and PTI set aside their political differences and demanded that the CII should be abolished as it was causing more damage than the country could afford.

“This house shows its strong reservations over the recent recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology that show complete indifference and insensitivity to the women-related issue,” reads the resolution moved by PML-F’s Mahtab Akbar Rashdi.

Criticising the CII and its Chairman Maulana Mohammad Khan Sheerani, Rashdi said all recommendations of the Council and its head were regressive and anti-women.

“Women have been given a special status in Islam, but this kind of mindset in the Council wants to impose its own [interpretation of] Sharia,” she said.

She said minor girls, boys and even women were sexually assaulted and it was difficult for the victim to present four witnesses to prove the case. “It is high time laws were made to declare the DNA test mandatory in rape cases,” she added. Highlight:

The lawmakers irrespective their political differences joined hand and demanded that the council should be abolished as it was causing more damage than Pakistan could afford.

Express Tribune