RAWALPINDI. In a joint meeting held here at Rawalpindi Press Club on Saturday, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists(RIUJ), National Press Club (NPC), Court, Crime & City Reporters Association (CCCRA) showed grave concern over the ever-increasing attacks on journalists.

The meeting was largely attended by members of journalist community including senior journalists.

The joint meeting strongly condemned attacks on working journalists and warned Rawalpindi administration to wake up soon otherwise they would be answerable to National Assembly and Senate. The elected representatives strongly condemned attack by Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) officials on senior reporter of daily ‘The News’ Khalid Iqbal, by the New Town Police on Mansoor Satti of 92 channel, and attack on senior journalist Sardar Mumtaz and several other incidents.

RIUJ General Secretary Bilal Dar in his address strongly condemned attacks on journalists and warned Rawalpindi administration to realise the excesses on journalists.

“They should take up this seriously otherwise we will be forced to stage a massive protest outside the Parliament,” warned Bilal Dar. He further said that according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Pakistan is one of the leading countries where those who attack journalists are not arrested. It was surprising that after thrashing, abusing and degrading a journalist, the culprits wanted to make amends by apologising behind closed doors, RIUJ General Secretary added.

National Press Club (NPC) Senior Joint Secretary Iqbal Malik has strongly condemned attacks on journalist community during their professional duties. He urged upon the government to take up this matter otherwise it would create unrest. He added that attacks on journalists were increasing by the day here in Rawalpindi but concerned authorities looked the other way.

Court, Crime & City Reporters Association (CCCRA) President Gulzar Khan and General Secretary Shahid Malik strongly condemned such shameful incidents. They asked of the higher authorities to take up the matter seriously otherwise journalist community would start protest demonstrations in front of Parliament House.

The News

FAISALABAD (Dunya News) – Dunya News came under a grenade attack Friday from unknown assailants of banned organization as its Bureau office in Faisalabad was bombed, injuring three of its employees. The attack shattered windows, while cars and motorcycles parked outside were significantly damaged by the explosion. Threatening pamphlets were also dropped at the crime scene by the unidentified suspects.

Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Shareef has taken notice of the onslaught and ordered the arrest of the culprits. Chief Minister (CM) Punjab also took notice of the grenade attack and has ordered a report to be submitted. CM Punjab has also ordered Regional Police Officer (RPO) Faisalabad to take immediate action against the act of terrorism and advised that the suspects involved be arrested within 24 hours.

Police, in its traditional manner, arrived late at the scene and now has started gathering evidence from the incident site.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists’ (PFUJ) President Rana Azeem has declared a state wide protest against the attack. He stated that Dunya News has always stood for the truth and he assured the cooperation of the journalist community.

In a talk with Dunya News, Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jamali expressed that the attack on Dunya News’ Bureau office was an attempt to silence the truth.

Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rasheed while talking to Dunya News stated that the government condemns the violent act and assured that the culprits will be brought to justice on immediate basis.

Spokesperson for the PM Musadiq Malik stated that an attack on journalists was an attack on democracy. He stated that strict action shall be taken against those involved and that PM Nawaz has also given the order for the arrest of the suspects.

A nationwide protest of the journalist community against the grenade attack on Dunya News was seen including Lahore, Multan, Quetta, Sahiwal and Khanewal along with numerous other cities. Protestors have called the terrorist act an attack on the freedom of press. Protesors chanted slogans against terrorism and have demanded an immediate arrest of those involved.

Dunya News

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Wednesday condemned the killing of another journalist Zaman Mehsaud, who was shot dead in Tank District on Wednesday.

Zaman, who hailed from South Waziristan, was coming to Tank city from his hometown Gomel on his motorcycle when unidentified people opened fire at him.

He was shifted to District Headquarter Hospital Tank, and then District Headquarter Hospital DI Khan, but he succumbed to the bullet injuries. He was working with Daily Umat Karachi and was also running his own twitter news, “Gomel News”.

President PFUJ and Secretary General Amin Yousuf condemned the brutal killing of Zaman and demanded of the government to take prompt action to arrest the culprits. They said that Pakistan was amongst most dangerous countries in the world for journalists where as many as 117 journalists had sacrificed their lives in the last decade. The PFUJ leaders called for a country-wide protest on Thursday if the local police failed to arrest the killer of Zaman Mehsud.

“We are already running impunity campaign for crimes against journalists and this murder has added to the difficulties of working journalists in the country,” they concluded. The PFUJ leaders urged the local police to expedite proceedings to arrest the culprits so that they could be put on trial under the anti-terrorism laws of the land.

Pakistan Today