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| July 25, 2005 | Monday | Jumadi-us-Sani 17, 1426 |
Journalist’s arrest condemned
KARACHI, July 24: The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) have strongly condemned the abduction of a journalist, Rashid Channa, associated with the Dawn Group of Newspapers, apparently by law-enforcement personnel.
The two organizations said in a joint statement that the action appeared to have been taken because of some reports filed by the journalist which annoyed the ruling alliance. The Sindh government had earlier banned government advertisements for the daily Dawn, but such tactics failed to cow down the publication and it continued its independent editorial policy.
In order to browbeat the group, one of its journalists has now been abducted. “Such strong-arm tactics are clearly aimed at curbing the freedom of press, and all supporters of democratic values and human rights should take serious note of the matter and strongly protest against the policies of the Sindh government.”
The incident, the statement said, was a matter of concern for the print media fraternity and reminiscent of the anti-press practices and policies of the past authoritarian regimes.
But the annals of Pakistan’s history testify that such methods never succeeded in silencing the dissenting voice.
The APNS and the CPNE have urged the Sindh government to immediately release Mr Rashid Channa and said that if it was not done the two organisations would decide their future line of action on July 26.
KUJ STATEMENT: The Karachi Union of Journalists and the Karachi Press Club have severely criticized the detention of journalist Rashid Channa and demanded his immediate release.
KUJ President Ayub Jan Sarhandi and general secretary Nizam Siddiqui said in a statement that the local administration, acting on the orders of the government, had over the past few days launched an operation against journalists and newspapers without any justification. They said journalists were being arrested under false cases and restrictions were being imposed on publications. They demanded release of Mr Channa and an immediate inquiry into his unjustified detention.
KPC secretary Najeeb Ahmed said that journalists reserved their right to wage protest if Mr Channa was no released immediately.
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