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| October 1, 2007 | Monday | Ramazan 18, 1428 |
Media demonstrates weight of numbers: Vows to boycott official meetings
Dawn Report
FAISALABAD, Sept 30: Keeping the flag of freedom of expression high,
journalists demonstrated in the length and breadth of Punjab on Sunday to
condemn violence against their brethren at the Constitution Avenue in Islamabad.At some places, lawyers and activists of opposition political parties joined the voice against oppression which the law enforcers unleashed at the time of scrutiny of nomination papers of presidential candidates.
The protest call was given by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists which decided to observe a black day against the battering of newsmen.
In Faisalabad, the demonstration led by TV Journalists Association President Shahid Ali started from the Press Club and after marching through various roads culminated at the same point. Wearing black armbands and holding banners and placards, the protesters gave vent to their disquiet and raised the pet slogan “Go Musharraf go”. They demanded removal of Islamabad IGP Marwat Shah for being part of the riot police.
Mr Shahid Ali and others said the media persons gathered outside the Election Commission and Supreme Court building to cover the protest of lawyers and it was not showing any partisanship.
Activists of the PML-N, the Jamaat-i-Islami and other parties, besides the district bar association joined the demonstration.
MUZAFFARGARH: A black day was observed throughout the district and more than 250 journalists and political activists staged a demonstration at Qanwan Chowk.
The newsmen also marched towards the Main Bazaar and Committee Chowk and chanted slogans “Don’t gag the press, we want honour, we want freedom” and many more. Led by Dr Khalid Mahmood Zafar Chaudhry, the demonstration was joined by the political parties and lawyers.
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz demonstration, led by Ghulam Mustafa Khar, also took exception to the government action.
SIALKOT: A triangular show — journalists, lawyers and opposition politicians — was witnessed in this neck of the wood as well. Police remained on the alert at various places.
Expressing resentment, the newsmen announced boycott of the coverage of official meetings and functions. They also held separate meetings and passed resolutions, demanding probe against the people responsible for assault on journalists.
In Sialkot city, journalists staged a sit-in at Allama Iqbal Chowk and it was led by MMA’s Arshad Mahmood Baggu advocate. They announced week-long agitation to express solidarity with their brethren in the federal capital.
SARGODHA: “Journalists from Khyber to Karachi are united for a common cause and today’s demonstration bears ample testimony to the fact”, according to a congregation of media persons who condemned the police action against the press representatives the other day.
Sargodha Press Club President Ashraf Nadeem and secretary Shaheen Farooqi said violence against the mediamen would not be tolerated, pledging to continue protest till redress of grievances of newsmen.
In the evening, the MMA leaders and workers, led by Dr Arshad Shahid, staged a sit-in in front of the press club where they said they would not play the role of a silent spectator.
SHEIKHUPURA: A large number of journalists, lawyers and activists of the All Parties Democratic Movement took out a rally which was led by press club president Abdul Hameed Bhatti and other senior journalists.
Reaching Chowk Yadgar, they staged a sit-in, suspending traffic for half an hour. They chanted anti-Musharraf slogans. Rana Sarwar, Sultan Hameed Ali, Safdar Shaheen and others were prominent among the participants.
TOBA TEK SINGH: Protest processions and a meeting marked the black day which was announced by the PFUJ.
The meeting held at the press club ripped to shreds violence against the mediamen and described it as a blot on the press freedom, demanding immediate arrest of those who ordered the baton-charge of the peaceful media persons.
Processions were also taken out at Gojra and Kamalia.
MULTAN: A procession, which took off from and culminated at the newly-constructed building of the Multan Press Club, manifested anger against the Saturday’s event.
Workers of various political parties, including the PML-N and the PPP, and representatives of non-government organisations added to the strength of the protest. The district bar association, too, showed up to express solidarity with the newsmen.
Some of the protesters even burnt tyres and threw traffic out of gear.
OKARA: The District Union of Journalists announced boycott of the Federal Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal’s functions in future to register their protest against the aggression.
Similar rallies were taken out in Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Vehari, Bahawalpur and Khanewal.
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