— INP

ISLAMABAD: Like other parts of the country, the World Press Freedom Day was also observed in Islamabad on Sunday.

A large number of journalists gathered in front of the National Press Club (NPC) and vowed to resist all kinds of restrictions on the freedom of the press, including the cybercrime bill at its current form.

Speaking on the occasion, Afzal Butt, the president of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists-Afzal Butt Group (PFUJ-Afzal Group), said mediapersons from Karachi to Khyber had been facing hard times.

“Journalists cannot file news on the basis of facts otherwise they are killed. Pakistan has become the most vulnerable place for journalists in the world.”

He said the government had served notices on media houses for telecasting the live speech of MQM chief Altaf Hussain. “Does the government know what would be the consequences if the media houses do not telecast the speech of the MQM chief?” he said.

NPC president Shahryar Khan said journalists would resist any attempt to restrict the freedom of the press.

President Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) Ali Raza Alvi said the cybercrime bill should be reconsidered after taking the media on board.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2015

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