HYDERABAD, May 3: Leaders of political parties, elected representatives and journalists at a seminar held here on Wednesday called for freeing the press because functioning of democracy is directly linked to an independent press.

They were speaking at a seminar to mark World Press Freedom day.

The seminar was organised by the Hyderabad Press Club in connection with its golden jubilee celebrations.

The speakers demanded that newspaper organisations and the government should recognise the rights of journalists and implement the seventh Wage Board award.

They criticised the government for delaying formation of the press council.

Jamaat-i-Islami secretary-general Syed Munawar Hussain said that every human being was weak because his or her family was living in a suppressed society and for that reason it was not possible establish an independent island of journalism.

He said that the government was killing its own people in Waziristan who were not again to Pakistan though they could be considered enemy of the US.

He said that none of the armies of the Islamic countries, was fighting their own people and or providing logistics to the US.

He said that without independent politics’ freedom of journalism and expression could not be achieved.

The JI leader said that the US agenda was being pursued in the region.

Veteran politician Rasool Bux Palijo paid tributes to journalists and lashed out at political groups which pressurised media organisations and reporters.

He criticised the mainstream press and said that it had virtually failed to project the real issues and concerns of Sindh.

He said that those who were not writing on the water issue were not sincere to Sindh and criticised adoption of a bill by the Sindh Assembly regarding employment of only the people of Karachi in multinational companies.

“Some very pertinent questions are yet to be raised in journalism and what is being reported is very superficial” Mr Palijo said.

He said that the country was being run under what he termed a bogus constitution.

He called for accountability of political parties, rulers and press.

He said that press, either good or bad, was the only institution in the country where people could raise their issues.

Former Sindh Governor Syed Mamnoon Hussain said that military intervention in any civilian dispensation was the root cause of all problems, facing the country.