KARACHI, July 18: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has condemned the recent raid on the offices of the weekly Zarb-i-Islam and arrest of its chief editor and reporter, and demanded that the Sindh government should immediately release them, hand over the offices to its administration and let the case be tried in open court if there are any charges. According to a statement issued here, the CPNE said that although it strongly opposed sectarian and religious extremism, it treasured the right of people to know and the right of newspapers to press freedom.

Meanwhile, the convener of the CPNE Sindh committee has convened an emergency meeting of the Sindh Council at the CPNE Secretariat on Wednesday to discuss the present situation and chalk out its line of action.