ISLAMABAD: Senior jour­nalist Hamid Mir has offered apology over his recent speech at a protest against attacks on journalists and said he had no intention to defame Pakistan Army.

A joint statement issued by a committee formed by the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), the National Press Club and Mr Mir on Tuesday said Mr Mir briefed it about his speech at a protest demonstration on May 28. He said he had no intention to defame the army, had high regard for the sacrifices rendered by it and had covered army operations from Siachen to the LoC.

Mr Mir said he made a speech during a protest outside the NPC against attacks on journalists. He said he got carried away after spee­ches by other speakers as he too had faced an attack in the past.

Mr Mir offered an apology if his speech hurt the feelings of any person. He said he had no differences with the army nor did he name any person.

After Mr Mir’s speech the Geo TV management had decided to take him off air.

Read: Geo issues statement after taking Hamid Mir off air

Later on June 4, the committee comprising former PFUJ president Afzal Butt, RIUJ president Amir Sajjad Syed and NPC president Shakeel Anjum was formed to seek an end to the confusion created after the speech.

When contacted, Mr Mir said he had made the explanatory statement before an elected body of journalists. He said the Geo TV management had also sought an explanation from him, but he did not respond as he had made his speech from PFUJ platform and not Geo.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2021