LAHORE: The photojournalists have demanded departmental action against Civil Lines SP Safdar Raza Kazmi after the police thrashed their colleagues, snatched cameras when they were covering a police operation against activists of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan at Karol Ghati here on Wednesday.

They alleged scores of police personnel attacked the photographers with clubs at the behest of the Civil Lines SP Operations.

They thrashed senior photographers Sadaqat Mughal and Amjad Hussain, abused them and also snatched from them their cameras.

They said the charged policemen also [allegedly] maltreated some other journalists when they stepped up to rescue their colleagues.

The Lahore Press Club and other journalists’ union strongly reacted and condemned the incident.

In a press release issued on Wednesday, LPC president Arshad Ansari, secretary Zahid Chaudhry and vice president Salman Qureshi and other senior office-bearers demanded that the Punjab government take strict action against the police officials responsible for the inhuman act.

They said the police officials should be suspended from service and a departmental action must also be taken against them.

The LPC body said the journalist community was performing duties in an odd situation taking risk of their lives and the police’s uncalled for action against them was a blatant violation of their fundamental rights.

The LPC office-bearers have appealed to the chief minister and IGP for action against the police officials.

Other unions of the journalists community also condemned the police attack on photographers and warned of strong protests in days to come if action was not taken against the police officials.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2021