30 January 2005	Sunday	19 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 29: An armed group attacked the offices of Jang group of newspapers at I. I. Chundrigar Road late Friday night, ransacked its ground floor, and damaged at least 13 cars parked outside the office, police and witnesses said.

They said that a group of about 30 youth damaged the cars parked outside the Jang building with clubs. They also clashed with security guards on the main entrance, beat them up and forcibly entered the ground floor where they ransacked the furniture and equipment. They then went to the mezzanine floor and caused damage to Geo TV offices. Witnesses said that the youth also fired shots in the air to create panic.

DSP Haseeb Beg of Mithadar area said that some unidentified people riding motorcycles came to the Jang building at around 2.20am and ransacked its offices and caused damage to cars. "We have found no clue as no one could note down registration numbers of their motorcycles. Police were informed at Madadgar 15, but the attackers had gone by the time police reached the spot."

A press release issued by The News here on Saturday night said that the attackers were armed with weapons and also carried several bags full of stones.

The attackers also broke open the cash counter and took away cash and valuables. In the parking lot they attacked cars belonging to Geo TV and Jang and cars of some staffers and damaged seven cars.

According to the press release the attack was in reaction to a TV interview of Israeli deputy prime minister, Shimon Peres, which was also published in daily Jang and The News. The officials of Jang group in Islamabad had received a telephone call from a foreign journalist who asked a number of sensitive questions about the interview, the press release said.