HYDERABAD: Journalists called off on Saturday week-long token hunger strike against police failure to arrest murderers of senior reporter Jan Mohammad Mahar, who was gunned down by assailants in Sukkur 56 days ago.

Leaders of Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ), which had staged the hunger strike, said the protest movement had now entered the third phase and in line with announcement by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists-Afzal Butt (PFUJ) journalists would hoist black flags on press clubs across the country on Oct 9 as mark of protest, and PFUJ leadership would visit entire province.

PFUJ leader Lala Rehman Samoo alleged that murderers had not been arrested so far because they were patronized by Sindh government. They would continue the protest till the murderers’ arrest and journalists would not let their colleague’s blood go waste, he said. He also hinted at launching a long march from Karachi to Islamabad.

PFUJ assistant secretary general Khalid Khokhar said that 56 days had passed to Mahar’s murder but the assailants had not been arrested yet. Journalists would also hold protest outside Chief Minister House and Prime Minister House in Islamabad, he said.

HUJ president Iqbal Mallah said that HUJ had completed preparations for the long march. After PFUJ’s meeting with all press clubs of Sindh, the third phase of the movement would be announced, he said.

Sindh United Party president Syed Zain Shah visited hunger strikers’ camp to express solidarity with journalists. Operation should be launched in Sukkur’s riverine area to arrest Mahar’s murderers, he said.

He expressed concern over poor law and order conditions in Sindh and added that Sindh government remained unmoved be it this murder or killings in Mari Jalbani village.

Prof Imdad Chandio, Jami Chandio, Zulfikar Halepoto, Sattar Sarki advocate, labour leader Abdul Latif Nizamani, Tanvir Arain, Fr Shamun, M Parkash advocate, Pushpa Kumari, Gulzar Jumani and others also expressed solidarity with protesting journalists.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2023