KARACHI, Feb 1: A meeting of the Sindh Committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNA) held here on Tuesday condemned the recent attack on the offices of daily Jang and daily Awam and ransacking of the offices of Geo TV and termed it a direct assault on freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

The attack, it said was a demonstration of the intolerant nature of 'certain nefarious elements'.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of its convener Inquilab Matri, expressed shock that contingents of police, including a mobile van especially stationed at the offices of the newspaper group to prevent such an attack, looked on as unconcerned bystanders and made absolutely no attempt to either challenge, stop, or pursue the attackers.

The committee reminded the government of its responsibility of providing protection to members of the fourth estate and to all citizens and called upon the government to institute an inquiry headed by a serving judge of the high court to find out the elements behind the attack and to assess the role of the police contingent stationed at the Jang offices.