Pakistan Freedom of Expression Monitor
News with beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and emotions
Faisalabad: Faisalabad Union of Journalists (FUJ) on Tuesday took out a rally to mark the International Journalists Day. Participants said most working journalists in Pakistan were deprived of basic facilities like security, life and health insurance and Fair wages. The rally was taken out from City District Government Complex and ended at Katchery Road.
LAHORE: The journalist community across the country on Tuesday observed “Journalists Martyrs Day” on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Rana Muhammad Azeem and Secretary General Amin Yousaf.
The community held seminars, rallies and ceremonies in their cities and districts to pay the rich tributes to all those journalists who were killed in the line of duty, in Pakistan and around the world.
In Lahore, a torch bearer rally led by PFUJ President Rana Azeem was conducted from PUJ Secretariat to Faisal Chow. Minister for Ports and Shipping Kamran Machael, PML-L Lawyers Forum Lahore’s Information Secretary Advocate Mushfaq Ahmad Khan, Member Federal Executive Council of PFUJ Farrukh Baseer, Mian Dawood, senior journalists, teachers, students and people from other walks of life also participated in the rally.
Addressing with rally, PFUJ President Rana Azeem announced to give 10-marlas plots to the martyred journalists. The PFUJ president also announced to form a special fund of Rs10 million for the journalists who have been terminated from the jobs and for educational expenditure of children of the low paid journalists.
He paid rich tribute to the martyred journalists and said their sacrifices would be remembered always.
Minister for Ports and Shipping Kamran Machael said the journalists became the voice of the desperate people of the society. He announced to give bullet proofs jackets to the journalists. In Islamabad, PFUJ organised a seminar on Tuesday to pay tributes to the journalists who were killed in the line of duty in the country and all over the world.
Former Federal Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira as a chief guest on the occasion said that the journalist community has always remained on the forefront of all the movements in the country including freedom movement and the movement for restoration of democracy.
He said that in the present testing times when the whole nation is fighting the menace of terrorism, the journalists have set a noble example by giving great sacrifices while exposing the real designs of the evil forces.
He congratulated the PFUJ and other journalist organizations for organizing the seminar in memory of their martyred companions. Addressing the participants, President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt said that journalists will always remember those members who embraced martyrdom.
“We have also appealed to the international journalist bodies to show solidarity with the victims and their families”, he added. He further added that by observing November 19 as the day for martyred journalists, PFUJ will try to draw world’s attention towards the threats being faced by Pakistani journalists.
Journalists from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, civil society members, representatives of different political parties and people from different walks of life attended the event.
In Karachi, the journalists, members of civil society and political workers also lit the lamps and candles in a ceremony to pay rich tributes to all those journalists who were killed in the line of duty, in Pakistan and around the world. Addressing with the ceremony, Senior Minister of Sindh Nisar Khorro said no one could ignore the sacrifices of the journalists who lost their lives during the duty hours.
“Pakistan Peoples Party pays rich tributes to all martyred journalists of Pakistan,” said the senior minister, adding the efforts and struggle of the journalists in restoration of the democracy in the county were appreciating.
KARACHI: A young journalist accused police on Friday of picking him up and thrashing him last week.
Ali K. Chishti, a correspondent of Friday Times, said he was intercepted by some half a dozen policemen in the PECHS area minutes after he had left his office with driver on Aug 30.
Mr Chishti, who felt that there was serious threat to his life, left for Islamabad after the incident. He said he ‘suspected some people’ of being behind the incident. However, he did not mention any name.
“I was dragged out of my car, put into a police vehicle and taken to Do Darya where I and my driver were handed over to some people in civvies. I also heard a gunshot…soon after we were taken out of the vehicle. I was kept there for nine hours and severely beaten up. My driver has since been missing,” he said.
Mr Chishti said the people in civvies threatened him and asked him to leave the city within 24 hours and refrain from reporting the matter to anyone. They also ‘abused’ Friday Times editor Najam Sethi, he added.
“I wrote extensively on national security issues and also about extremist elements. I am not sure but have enough reasons to believe who they were and why they did it to me,” said Mr Chishti.
Our New York Correspondent adds: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the Pakistani government to fully investigate the abduction and beating of Mr Chishti.
Mr Chishti told CPJ and other news outlets that he had been abducted and beaten up on Aug 30, and released the next morning.
ISLAMABAD: A journalist is receiving life threats and obnoxious messages on his mobile phone from some unknown persons while police are doing nothing to protect him.
Israr Ahmed, crime reporter of an English national daily, has been given life threats by some unknown persons on his cell number for many days. He has lodged a complaint with Saddar Bairooni police, but they have not registered an FIR so far. It is pertinent to mention that Israr Ahmed narrowly escaped a life attempt in April 2012 in Dhamial.
The office bearers of National Press Club (NPC), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Crime and Court Reporters Association Rawalpindi (CCRAR) condemned the threats being given to the reporter and appealed to the federal government to take steps for protection of journalists. Talking to media, NPC Secretary General Shehryar Khan said that such threats could not stop journalists from discharging their duties. “Hundreds of journalists have so far been killed, but neither any challan has been completed nor has any culprit been arrested,” he said. He termed the situation alarming and urged the government to take steps for journalists’ protection.
CCRAR Secretary General Iqbal Malik said he had discussed the issue with the district government and filed an application for registration of an FIR at Saddar Bairooni police station. He said the association would pursue the case and ask Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to take notice of the threats being given to the reporter.
He said Israr Ahmad, a reporter of The Nation, was being given threats by unidentified people for many days. “On Thursday night, a person phoned Israr and, using offensive language, said: “Come out of your house as we are waiting for you outside. We will burn you along with your family.” Iqbal said the journalist had no enmity with anyone and asked the district government to provide protection to him.