ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: The chief editor and employees of a Sindhi language newspaper on Friday observed a token hunger strike in protest against the closure of their paper.

The daily “Sindh Hyderabad”, once the second largest newspaper of Sindhi language, was closed down due to financial constraints after the government reduced the advertisement quota of the newspapers by 50 per cent about three years ago.

Comrade Ghulam Rasool Sahito, the chief editor, had walked 1400 km from Hyderabad to Islamabad along with his over dozen colleagues in a hope to convey their voice to the powers that be. The token hunger strike will continue till August 14.

Talking to Dawn at a makeshift camp near Zeropoint, the grey-haired Sahito said the government’s policy had so far resulted in the closure of 12 newspapers in Sindh depriving thousands of families of their livelihood.

He attributed reduction in advertisement quota for the Sindhi press to speaking against the “alliance between the generals and the feudal lords” in the country.

“Our newspaper mainly highlighted the plight of the tenants and stressed land reforms,” he said while describing the agenda of his paper. “We were forced to cease operations on February 12, 2003, as we could not pay staff salaries, electricity and telephone bills and other miscellaneous dues owing to reduction in advertisement quota,” he said.

Asked what could be the likely response from the government, he said: “Well, an official at the Press Information Department (PID) has told us about arranging a meeting with Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. However, a bit skeptic Sahito said so far no date had been announced for the meeting.