Attack on journalists condemned

LAHORE: Ignoring instructions of their leadership, activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf misbehaved with the team of a media house during coverage of PTI’s shutter-down call for the provincial metropolis.

They tossed bottles and gravel on known anchorperson Sana Mirza, Sohail Warraich and reporters Jawad Malik, Ameen Hafeez and Ahmed Fraz of GeoNews besides using slingshots to hurl bricks at them.

They also made indecent gestures to Ms Mirza, making her to cry during live coverage of the strike at Charing Cross on The Mall.

The misbehaviour earned ire of PTI chief Imran Khan, spokesperson Shirin Mazari and leaders of rival parties as well as various journalist bodies

“We denounce harassment of journalists,” Ms Mazari said in a statement after footage of the incidents was aired by various TV channels.

The ARY News also reported that some people attacked its DSNG van with rotten eggs near Ferozwala when its team was covering the Shahdara road blockade.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the incidents of misbehaviour with journalists and said such tragic incidents were a stigma on the face of PTI leadership.

He said the entire nation had seen the footage of violent attitude of PTI leadership and workers which had exposed the negative approach of this party.

The chief minister said the PML-N believed in the freedom of expression and sympathised with the journalists who faced misbehaviour of PTI workers.

The Federal, Punjab and Karachi Union of Journalists as well as Lahore Press Club have condemned the continuous attacks on journalists by PTI activists during their demonstrations in various parts of the country.

In a statement, KUJ President GM Jamali, Secretary-General Wajid Raza Isfahani, Vice-President Zaheer Ahmed Khan and other office-bearers condemned the attack on KUJ Joint Secretary Sana Mirza and Geo reporter Amin Hafeez during the coverage of a demonstration in Lahore.

They asked the PTI to advise its workers to refrain from indulging in violence against journalists.

The KUJ will resist any sort of aggression against journalists in future and may advise its members to boycott proceedings of PTI activities if its leadership doesn’t offer an unconditional apology.

Published in Dawn December 16th , 2014

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Comments (20) Closed

Imran Khan

Dec 16, 2014 10:00am

PTI should devise a strategy to arrest anyone even PTI worker in such rallies who acts like this. This way, even a PMLN worker enters the PTI rally in PTI uniform, he won't be able to dare of such cheap act!!!

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Sara

Dec 16, 2014 10:20am

Imran khan is a good person with great ideas.Nawaz sheriff is a good person, good politician with great experience. I think if imran khan really and sincerely wants to save pakistan he should choose Nawaz rather than other so called politicians who are misleading Imran just to gain and complete their own Agendas. Imran and Nawaz should work together. both of them are nice and sincere. They can save pakistan together , not to create obstruction for eachother.may God bless pakistan.

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Usman

Dec 16, 2014 10:31am

This is the real face of PTI............. Violence !!! Shame

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umair

Dec 16, 2014 10:49am

I support PTI but i believe it was a shameful act by the people. But we cannot directly blame PTI for it as not everyone following them are their workers, but this teaches us one thing for sure that we need to have better educational system which teaches our nation as a whole from the very beginning that how to be a better citizen. Our previous rulers have failed to do so or didnt want to do so because, an uneducated or lets say less literate or illiterate population is more easily fooled and highly likely to be ill mannered then someone who is educated. and not everyone following PTI is educated.

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Imran

Dec 16, 2014 11:05am

Also what I don't understand is that if Ms.Sana Mirza is being abused then why would you just stand there and start crying? you leave the location ASAP and you stop recording or cut to another camera. These tactics are getting boring now. GEO is not about fair, non-basis journalism. They are a very long way away from it.

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Abdullah

Dec 16, 2014 11:09am

What happened was wrong but This is what happens when media take sides. Geo news should stay neutral like Dawn and many more channels.

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sid

Dec 16, 2014 11:54am

what happened was wrong and the people involved need to be punished. HOWEVER, this does not mean the purpose of the demonstrations is void... It's time for PLMN to call for re-elections. IF they genuinely win, I wish them all the best.

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Shujaat Khan

Dec 16, 2014 12:12pm

Will someone please tell me what kind of slingshot hurls bricks? Been away from Pakistan too long .

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Numaiza

Dec 16, 2014 12:15pm

Geo has devoted itself to speak against PTI all the day and night. What treatment they need. The media is to inform their readers and audience they should not take part/sides.

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sabine

Dec 16, 2014 12:47pm

GEO channel talks against PTI and its leadership all day and night in differnet talk shows etc, how could they expect that they will be showered with flowers when they will enter in PTI processions it is a fact and they should face it. Also there was mob and you cannot differentiate between a real worker of party and a common man, so sayign that PTI has badly treat GEO is not at all accpetable. same like other parties and channels GEO is not special. more GEO higher ups must think what kind of media and reporting they are doing and above all ours is a male oriented society and minds are not that liberal so if a lady host is entering mob she should cover herself properly first to be protected from ugly remarks as well. it is pakistan what to say more.

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Gul Pasha

Dec 16, 2014 12:54pm

PTI a media product now showing its teeth to media itself. PTI has become a liability rather than an asset for Pakistan. This hooliganism and anarchism being promoted by PTI is pushing Pakistan into deep crisis. The powerful business groups and certain behind the scene forces who are eying at the mega power and energy projects to make billions of dollars for themselves are using the ego of one man to destabilize the country. PMLN weak and incompetent leadership still behaving in a punching bag manner and has conceded too much of political space to PTI. It is unlikely that PMLN can recover from this point.

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john

Dec 16, 2014 02:33pm

@Imran If Imran Khan keeps attacking GEO without any evidence you don't expect GEO to hush things up, too right what GEO did. Imran Khan deserve the same treatment. Hooliganism should not be tolerated, Imran Khan as a leader of its party has no control over its supporters. IK should learn from MQM where AH only counts to 3 and his supporters observe pin drop silence. There supporters are well mannered.

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john

Dec 16, 2014 02:35pm

@Abdullah It is very sad indeed what it is below the belt is the media channels are not neutral in their journalism, it is a shame to see ARY siding with PTI and GEO with PMLN. If both ARY and GEO do not distance themselves from such practices then their credibility will be at state.

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Riaz

Dec 16, 2014 03:28pm

This is justice for all.

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hamid

Dec 16, 2014 03:43pm

@Abdullah and by 'neutral',we mean that "think the way we want you to think"

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Gordon D Walker

Dec 16, 2014 04:01pm

Journalists are the mirrors of society and must never be broken, tarnished or abused! Gordon D Walker: Human Rights Advocate and Citizen of the World.

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haris

Dec 16, 2014 04:19pm

CM said the entire nation had seen the footage of violent attitude of PTI leadership and workers which had exposed the negative approach of this party. Dear CM Punjab, We haven't found any PTI leadership involvement there and as far as the workers or supporters attitudes are concerned. yes, it is highly condemnable but the entire nation has also seen Gullu and Pommi Butts performances on the television. That not just exposed the negative approach but the reaction of your party and leadership also exposed the negative attitude.

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haris

Dec 16, 2014 04:22pm

@john So if IK has attacked GEO and in return GEO attacked PTI to restore their pride. Good to know

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Raja

Dec 16, 2014 05:23pm

Pti supporters just stop with the nonsense of 'those weren't our people. Everyone knows who they were. When your leader spits hate against a certain channel, what else do you expect by a mob? It is the fault of PTI's leadership. Journalist were beaten, their sngs and equipment destroyed by pti workers and nothing was done by pti's leadership. I support pti in their stance against corruption & rigging but the way they treat journalists and stopped patients on their way to hospitak, they might not gey my vote next time. Khan always talks about change e and naya pakistan, its time to teach some manners to the supporters

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Mrs. Khan

Dec 17, 2014 12:34pm

@Sara Exactly my thoughts. I wish that happens. it is best solution for everyone, for our nation, and for our country.

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