ISLAMABAD, May 31: The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu notice of recent incidents of harassment and intimidation of journalists and fixed Monday for hearing. Acting on an application of the Press Association of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Javed Iqbal, ordered conversion of the application into a petition.

Office-bearers of the association, in their application, said that the journalist community was facing insecurity because of several cases of harassment and intimidation in recent days.

They said that office-bearers of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and newsmen belonging to different organisations had been receiving threatening messages, telephone calls and envelopes containing bullets.

They said that the threats and incidents of intimidation had deprived journalists of their fundamental rights, including the right of freedom of speech and expression as well as personal security, guaranteed by Articles 9 and 19 of the Constitution.

They said these incidents should be considered against the backdrop of kidnapping and murder of journalists in the recent past, particularly the murder of senior journalist Hayatullah, and kidnapping of Sohail Qalandar.