KARACHI, Aug 9: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec) have blamed the intelligence agencies for the rising incidents of violence against journalists, says a press release on Wednesday.

In a resolution adopted at the end of a three-day meeting of the Executive Council of the two apex bodies of newspaper employees held in Peshawar, the meeting said that the incidents of violence and threats to newsmen particularly in the tribal areas of NWFP, Balochistan and in the interior of Sindh have created fear and panic among the journalists, which negate the government claim of the freedom of the Press.

The meeting condemned the murder of journalist Hayatullah in the tribal areas and criticised lack of transparency in the case. It said that this was worst crime against journalists since the murder of US reporter Daniel Pearl.

The meeting also demanded the arrest of those responsible for the murder of TV cameraman Munir Sangi and the recovery of the missing reporter of daily Kawish Muniruddin Mari.

Another resolution termed the tenure of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as the “worst” for newspaper employees as his was “the only government which has failed in getting the Wage Award for the newspaper employees implemented, despite repeated assurances to the PFUJ and APNEC by the premier himself.” The two unions reminded Prime Minister of the promises made by him on October 6, 2005 while talking to a delegation of PFUJ and Apnec for early implementation of 7th Wage Board Award.

Another resolution called for the withdrawal of Industrial Relations Ordinance, IRO-2002 as it threatened the very survival of the trade unions in Pakistan.