ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned attacks on mediapersons during the PTI protest on Saturday and detention of journalist Faizan Hussain.

In a statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said the PTI did not give up its tradition of attacking mediapersons. “It is very unfortunate that journalists are investing all their energies in covering PTI events objectively, but the party is harassing and intimidating the same people,” the statement said.

The PFUJ leaders observed that when it comes to treatment of mediapersons, the government and political parties were the same. “On the one hand, the PTI subjected journalists to harassment and violence and on the other the government detained Faizan Hussain accusing him of belonging to a political party,” they said, adding that Hussain was a senior journalist and a former secretary general of Khyber Union of Journalists and had no political association at all.

The PFUJ leaders demanded that Hussain be immediately released and those involved in harassing and intimidating journalists arrested.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2024