ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, headed by Afzal Butt, will launch a movement for press freedom on Thursday (tomorrow) to protest the “unannounced censorship” being faced by the media and the moves to curtail the distribution of Dawn in several parts of the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the PFUJ said it had decided to launch the movement on July 5 to mark the imposition of martial law in 1977 as it had led to draconian measures against the media.

The PFJU will hoist black flags atop all press clubs and organise special events to highlight the brutalities inflicted on the media and journalists during the martial law imposed by Gen Ziaul Haq.

Journalists will set up camps outside Dawn offices on July 9 in solidarity with the media house, the PFUJ added.

It will also establish a “freedom of press” camp outside parlia­ment during the coming Senate session.

The union said the campaign would continue as long as the government took no steps to redress the media’s complaints.

“The movement is against the unannounced and unreasonable censorship the media is facing and against the marginalisation of certain media houses,” the PFUJ said.

“The Dawn newspaper is now not available to citizens in several parts of the country and DAWN NEWS TV is also not available in many localities.”

The PFUJ called upon the caretaker government and the Election Com­mission to look into the matter and ensure an unhindered distribution of Dawn.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2018