October 03, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 20, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) on Tuesday constituted a committee for registering cases of police violence against journalists, reviewing legal matters and finalising a strategy in this regard.

The eight-member committee was constituted under the supervision of RIUJ General-Secretary Ashfaq Sajid while Mazhar Abbas, Afzal Butt, Mushtaq Minhas, Sharyar Khan, Waqar Satti, Shakeel Anjum and Syed Muzamil Hussain selected as its members.

It will help journalists to get affidavits and lodge complaints with the police.

During an Iftar dinner, hosted by the RIUJ for those journalists who were injured by the capital police on September 29, President Pakistan Federation Union of Journalist (PFUJ) Syed Huma Khan and Secretary-General Mazhar Abbas demanded of the government to withdraw cases against journalists, and register cases on complaint of the injured journalists.

They also demanded an inquiry into the kidnapping of Babar Hussain, the reporter of a private TV channel. They said that some ministers were giving irresponsible statements creating mistrust between the government and journalists.

PFUJ leaders appreciated the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision to suspend officials responsible for the violence and said that the decision should have come from the government.