11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, Feb 10: The general council meeting of the Karachi Press Club held on Thursday demanded repeal of the Official Secrets Act so that people could be kept informed about the affairs of the state.

The meeting condemned registration of a case against a reporter of an Urdu daily under the Act and expressed concern over the threatening attitude of the provincial Home Minister, Rauf Siddiqui.

The meeting, through a resolution, demanded repeal of the 'black law' - the Official Secret Act - and observed that it was the due right of people to keep abreast of the affairs of the government departments.

The resolution appealed to the Karachi Union of Journalists, PFUJ, All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation, Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors, and All Pakistan Newspapers Society to contest the case up to the Supreme Court and get the matter decided once and for all by the judiciary.

The meeting expressed solidarity with the reporter concerned, Afzal Nadeem, and assured him of the support of the journalist fraternity.

The press club resolution also condemned the killing of two journalists in Wana while they were performing their professional duty, and demanded arrest of their killers. They called for exemplary punishment handed to culprits.