ISLAMABAD, June 4: Journalists, politicians and representatives of civil society organisations on Monday staged a demonstration in front of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in protest against the promulgation of Pemra Ordinance by President Pervez Musharraf putting new curbs on the electronic media.

The protesters began their march from the Blue Area and reached the PM Secretariat, removing barricades and barbed wires erected by the Capital Police to stop them.

Some police officials deputed on the Constitution Avenue misbehaved with the protesters. The Secretariat Police Station SHO also misbehaved with journalists. Some of the journalists were injured while removing the barbed wires.

The journalists were joined by lawyers, politicians, representatives of civil society organisations and family members of missing persons. A large number of protesters were holding torches and placards.

Addressing the gathering, office-bearers of the PFUJ, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club (RIPC) criticised the government for imposing restrictions on the media.

The speakers vowed to continue their struggle till the achievement of their objectives.

Those who took part in the demonstration include RIPC president Mushtaq Minhas, RIUJ president Afzal Butt, former PFUJ president Pervez Shaukat and secretary-general Mazhar Abbas, Syed Talat Hussain, C.R. Shamsi, Fauzia Shahid, Shamimur Rehman, Zarrar Kham, PML-N information-secretary Ahsan Iqbal and former federal minister J. Salik.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Bar Council has condemned curbs on the electronic media on live coverage of visits to bar associations and address by the chief justice and termed it a ‘blatant attack’ on the freedom of expression.

In a statement issued here on Monday, PBC vice-chairman Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig criticised the blocking of transmission of Geo, ARY and Aaj TV channels. “It is not only against fundamental rights and freedom of expression but is also violative of provisions of the Constitution because the law does not allow the government to unilaterally ban or block transmissions depriving citizens of their right of access to information,” he added.