KARACHI, July 24: Senator Iqbal Haider, Secretary-General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), has in a statement issued here on Sunday, condemned the ‘arrest’ of a senior journalist, Rashid Channa of Star, and demanded his immediate release.

He alleged that “under a well-conceived strategy, the provincial government of Sindh and the federal government have unleashed a wave of intimidation, victimization and harassment of not only working journalists but also owners and publishers of newspapers with the sole motive of frightening them so much that they should stop writing the truth about pre-poll rigging through illegal and unethical methods adopted by the government to ensure the results of the local elections in their favour.”

He charged that Mr Channa had been taken away by the police to an unknown place without disclosing any charges or showing warrant of arrest against him.

“The government is also threatening and intimidating the administration of Dawn and denying them their due share in advertising with the same motive of stopping exposure of the misdeeds of the government,” Mr Haider said.

“These outrageous actions and policies of the government are in gross violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, universally acknowledged human rights and all norms of decency and fair treatment to the people,” he claimed.—-PPI