PESHAWAR, Jan 27: Artistes, producers and employees of the Pakistan Television, Peshawar, on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against the kidnapping of Sohail Qalandar, resident editor of daily Express.

The Central Employees Union (CBA) of the Pakistan Television Corporation had organised the demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club. The protestors demanded of the NWFP government to ensure recovery of the journalist, who has been missing since Jan 2.

Tariq Jamal, president of Awaz, a local body of artistes, said 25 days had passed but the government had failed to recover the journalist, who was kidnapped from Hayatabad along with his friend, Niaz Mohammad, a political activist.

TV artiste Javed Babar said that artistes and journalists had always extended a helping hand to the needy during natural disasters, organised fund-raising campaigns and shared the burden of governments, but today they were begging for security on roads.

TV artiste Najeebullah Anjum said it was the duty of the provincial government to ensure safe and early recovery of Mr Qalandar.