ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Monday paid rich tribute to heroes of the journalist community who had rendered great sacrifices in their struggle for freedom of press and free speech movement launched in 1978 against the martial law regime of military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq.

“We salute the heroes of the Press Freedom Move­ment for rendering imm­ense sacrifices in 1978 for freedom of press and free speech,” says a joint statement issued by PFUJ Acting President Khalid Khokhar and PFUJ Secretary General Arshad Ansari on the eve of the Black Day, May 13, 1978, when three journalists were flogged and sentenced by the military regime.

Journalists, Nasir Zaidi, Iqbal Jaffer and Khawar Naim Hashmi, were flogged at Kot Lakpath Jail, Lahore, on May 13, 1978, an hour after having been sentenced to 10 lashes each and three months’ jail by a military court for their struggle for freedom of the Press and freedom of speech and against imposition of martial law in the country.

“The PFUJ is indebted to all those journalists’ who had participated in that historic movement led by great journalist leaders Minhaj Barna and Nisar Osmani,” the PFUJ said in a statement issued on Monday.

Paying tribute to those legendary journalists, the PFUJ declared them the asset of the community and beacon of guidance for the print and electronic media today.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025