PESHAWAR, June 1: The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) and Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) on Friday held a protest demonstration against the attacks on the houses of two journalists in Peshawar and Khyber Agency and threats to some senior media persons in Karachi.
The protesting journalists, carrying placards and banners, took out a procession from the Peshawar Press Club to Telecom House and chanted slogans against the provincial and federal governments.
Speaking to the protesters, Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) president Jan Afzal said both the provincial and federal governments were engaged in recrimination on the ‘collapse of authority’ in the country. “But we want protection from both state and non-state actors responsible for violence and terror in the country”, he added.
He said the NWFP governor had yet not released the inquiry report about the kidnapping and murder of journalist Hayatullah Khan.
He said the government had failed to provide protection to journalists from political and religious extremists, smugglers and other criminals.
He said the government had not taken seriously the attacks on the houses of cartoonist Zahoor in Peshawar and Qazi Nasrullah Afridi in Bara.
Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) president Nasir Mohmand condemned the attack on Mr Afridi and asked the government to take action against the culprits.
He said a religious group, which had set up ‘its own government’ in the Khyber Agency, had banned the entry of Mr Afridi in Bara.
He said most of the journalists working in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas had migrated to the settled districts.
Speaking on the occasion, the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) general-secretary condemned issuance of threats to some senior journalists in Karachi and demanded that the Sindh government should take action against those responsible.
