June 08, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

LAHORE, June 7: A large number of journalists, including women, took out a peaceful procession on The Mall on Thursday to condemn restrictions on media, Pemra Ordinance, arrest of journalists and threats to them.

Leaders of various political parties and representatives of lawyer organisations and NGOs also took part in the procession which was taken out from the Dyal Singh Mansion on the call of the Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ).

Prominent among them were Punjab PPP Secretary-General Ghulam Abbas and Secretary Information Farzana Raja, Punjab MMA President Liaquat Baloch, PML-N’s Zaeem Qadri, MPA Dr Asad Ashraf and Khwaja Amer Raza, Khaksar Tehrik President Hameeduddin Mashriqi, Lahore High Court Bar’s Secretary Sarfraz Cheema, Save Judiciary Committee’s Mian Jamil and Punjab Bar’s Khawar Khitana.

No political leader or activist raised any political slogan or delivered speech on the request of the PUJ, but they marched with the journalists till the culmination point to show solidarity with them.

Senior journalists IA Rehman, Husain Naqi and Shafqat Tanvir Mirza were among scores of media men who defied police attempt to block them from marching towards the Governor’s House by removing barricades at the Charing Cross.

Another picket near Alhamra was removed by police, allowing the journalists to march towards the Governor’s House where they dispersed after listening to brief speeches of some journalists and PUJ and press club representatives.

Carrying placards, banners, black flags and wearing black armbands, the journalists from both print and electronic media raised slogans against the government for imposing restrictions on the press especially private channels through amendments to the Pemra Ordinance.

They also condemned the government for intimidating journalists and registering cases against them. They demanded freedom of the press and implementation of the Wage Award.

Some of the banners and placards read: “Knowing truth is everyone’s right”, “Access to information is a basic right”, “Pemra Ordinance not acceptable”, “You have to give the basic freedom”, “The struggle will continue till full press freedom”, and “Where is the so-called enlightened moderation”.