October 1, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 18, 1428

HYDERABAD, Sept 30: A black day was observed across Sindh by journalists on Sunday to condemn police brutality against media personnel in Islamabad, Peshawar and other places.

The print and electronic media personnel and at some places political parties and civil society organisations held rallies in protest against the police high-handedness against media men and lawyers.

Black flags were hoisted at press clubs and journalists wore black armbands. They raised slogans against the attack on media men.

In Hyderabad, a rally was held under the leadership of press club president Khalid Khokhar and senior journalists. Speaking on the occasion, the journalists said that the naked attack on journalists had fully exposed the so-called champions of democracy and government’s claim of freedom of media.

They said that the violence against the journalists had no parallel in the history of Pakistan.

They demanded that the police officers and government functionaries responsible for the violence against journalists during the performance of their professional duties should be dismissed from services and the cases registered against the media personnel should be withdrawn.

PPP, Labour Party Pakistan, Pakistan Human Rights Forum, PML-N and Jamaat-i-Islami also held protest demonstrations outside the press club to condemned wanton attack on the journalists.

Meanwhile, STP Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi who returned from Islamabad and Peshawar on Sunday has also condemned the violence against journalists, lawyers and political activists.

In a statement faxed to Dawn, Magsi said that the fascism of the rulers has been fully exposed throughout the world.
In Thatta the People’s Party MPA, Ms Sassui Palijo, led a rally in Gujjo town on Sunday to protest the violence against journalists and lawyers.

A large number of journalists and PPP activists participated in the rally.

The protesters carrying banners and placards marched the main roads of the town and observed a sit-in at the National Highway, which led to the suspension of vehicular traffic for an hour.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Palijo said that the Saturday’s incidents of Islamabad had reminded the tragedy of Jalianwala Bagh.

She threatened that if 160 million people of Pakistan took to streets, it would be difficult for rulers to find hiding place.
In Tando Allahyar, the journalists brought out a procession under the leadership of president of the press club, Syed Karar Hussain, and general secretary Hasrat Laghari.

Awami Tahreek president Akbar Manganhar and PPP leader Asif Anwar Khowaja also participated in the protest to express solidarity with the media personnel.

The journalists of Badin also observed the black day. Led by Mustafa Jamali, Allah Rakhio Naeem and a large number of protesters, they took out a rally.

Political activists and lawyers also participated in the protest.

In Nawabshah, journalists observed black day and hoisted black flags at the buildings and members wore black armbands. Later, a general body meeting was held which condemned the action against journalists.

Meanwhile, PML-N activists of women wing staged a demonstration outside local press club against the police torture on lawyers and media persons in Islamabad.

In Mirpurkhas, a joint protest rally was taken out by the members of press club and union of journalists. Protesters led by Qamaruddin, Mohammad Hashim Shar, Afaq Ahmed and Syed Zahir Hussain Shah, carried banners and placards, marched on main road and reached at Market chowk.

Speakers strongly condemned the attack and termed it an attack on freedom of press. They demanded of the government to ensure arrest of attackers and exemplary punishment to them. They regretted that due to government acts, country was defamed internationally. They said that their struggle will continue till the restoration of democracy in the country.

In Sanghar, journalists observed black day. The journalists also protested in Tando Adam, Khipro, Shahdadpur.
The journalists led by Aslam Memon, Ashfaq Bhatti, Niaz Khattak, Sagheer Ahmed, Raza Khan, Aziz Mangi and others took out a rally.

In Shikarpur, protest rallies were taken out by the journalists in Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin, Lakhi, Madeji, Khanpur and Chak. A rally led by Agha Younus, acting president of Shikarpur press club, was taken out in Shikarpur which after marching on different roads culminated at Lakhi Gate tower chowk.

Journalists in Naushahro Feroze and Bhirya took out rallies and staged a sit-in. The journalists led by Zahid Rajpar, Younus and Shabbir Khanzada took out rally and staged a sit-in on National Highway. The journalist wore black armbands.

In Jacobabad, journalists took out rally which started from press club and was led by Ali Mardan Jamali. Another rally was taken out by STP which started from STP office. Led by Nizam Mastoi, the protesters raised slogans against the government for violence against journalists.

In Dadu, a large number of journalists took out a rally which marched on different roads and staged demonstration at new chowk. Activists of PPP, PPP-SB, PML-N, STP, lawyers and social workers participated in the rally.

The journalists also took out rallies in Mehar, Johi, Sehwan and Khairpur Nathan Shah.