Journalists to stage sit-in outside Jang office
KARACHI: Journalists will stage a sit-in outside the Jang office against curbs on the media and closure of TV channel Geo on Sunday (today), announced KUJ President Shamim-ur-Rahman at a sit-in at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on the first day of second phase of the media movement which started on Saturday.
Journalists staged a sit-in outside the KPC and chanted slogans, for free media, hum nahi mantey zulm key zabtey. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with ëwe want freedomí.
They wore black armbands and a black flag was still hoisted atop of the KPC building, with banners still posted at the main gate of the KPC for Azadiye sahafat zindabad, aamriyat Murdabad.
A few journalists turned up for the sit-in outside the KPC, while many of them preferred sitting inside. KUJ President, however, said that the second phase of media movement had started and this campaign would continue till the ban on freedom of speech and expression was lifted.
Meanwhile, Secretary Association of TV Journalists (ATJ), Faisal Aziz, said that a protest camp and protest meeting would be held outside the Jang office on Sunday, while the second phase of the media movement would start from Monday Nov 26, under which protest demonstrations would be held outside all press clubs of the country.
He announced that countrywide black day will be observed on Wednesday, November 28. The black flag will be hoisted at all the offices of newspapers and channels.
Meanwhile, a candle lit vigil was held outside the KPC for closure of FM103 and Geo channels, organised by the Civil Society Organisation, with a handful of people turning up.
KhUJ holds protest rally
PESHAWAR: Continuing its protest drive, the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) on Saturday staged a protest rally against the imposition of emergency and curbs on the media.
KhUJ President Jan Afzal and Peshawar Press Club President Muhammad Riaz led the protesters.
The rally that was taken out from the Peshawar Press Club turned into a protest meeting near the Governor House where a large contingent of police stopped them from proceeding ahead.
Addressing the journalists, Jan Afzal flayed the attack by the police on the members of the Faisalabad Press Club, saying journalists would not succumb to pressure tactics and would continue their struggle for the rule of law.
“We are not just struggling for the restoration of transmission of some television channels but also for restoration of democracy, the Constitution, fundamental rights and reinstatement of superior court judges,” he said.
“The rulers have damaged the country’s image by imposing emergency.”
The speakers condemned the curbs on the media and imposition of emergency in the country and vowed to follow the directives of the
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists on the protest movement.
JAC’s black day against emergency on 26th
HYDERABAD: Representatives of different non-governmental organisations and members of civil society groups have announced to observe November 26 (Monday) as black day in Sindh against the imposition of emergency, removal of the superior court judges who refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order and curbs on the media. The black day is being observed under the banner of Joint Action Committee (JAC), Sindh. Zain Daudpoto, the coordinator of JAC, along with Ramzan Memon, Mustafa Baloch, Khalil Kazi and others made this announcement. Addressing a news conference at the Hyderabad Press Club, they said the first phase of the struggle would commence with the black day against the imposition of emergency on Monday.
Blasts overshadow journalists’ show
ISLAMABAD: The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists’ continued its protest against government’s curbs on media here on Saturday.
Asma Shirazi was due to host her popular talk show on the 16th day of the protest camp, but had to postpone the show after two suicide bomb attacks took a number of lives in Rawalpindi earlier on Saturday.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to host the show because of number of casualties and injuries that occurred in Rawalpindi today,” Asma told the gathering of protesters.
However, in the coming few days Asma promised to host the show on the footpath at Melody.
A large number of journalists, representatives of lawyers and civil societies, held tulips in their hands and chanted slogans against the government during the two-hour protest camp that started on November 9.
As a symbol of protest, a five-feet tall pen was wrapped in barbed wires and the nib of it was locked in chains to show journalists’ resentment against government’s media policies.
“We will continue our two-hour long protest every day unless the government gives media the true press freedom,” said RIUJ’s president Afzal Butt.
After Asma’s programme was postponed, the police was also thin in attendance on Saturday and only handful of security officials were there to keep a vigil on peaceful protest of journalists.
RIUJ, on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), have successfully organised two popular banned shows on the footpaths at Melody - ‘Live with Talat’ and Hamid Mir’s popular programme on GEO Television ‘Capital Talk’.
On both occasion a large number of security officials had cordoned the area in the surroundings of Rawalpindi Islamabad Press Club Camp office.
Amanullah Khan, a leader of Kashmir Liberation Movement, also expressed his solidarity with the journalists on Saturday and said that his party would always support the true cause of journalists.
“We will always stand by you all as you have genuine demand of restoring press freedom in Pakistan,” Amanullah said.
Former bureaucrat, Roedad Khan, said that without the independence of judiciary in Pakistan, there could be no true democracy.
“Unless there is a rule of a law in Pakistan, forget about democracy,” Roedad said.
He once again urged the political parties to show street power and bring their supporters out of their homes against government’s decisions.
“How could only journalists and lawyers make a difference unless political parties join them on the streets,” Roedad said.
Protest rally against Geo’s closure
RAWALPINDI: The journalists, lawyers, members of civil society and students staged a protest rally in front of Jang building, Murree Road against closure of Geo TV and imposition of emergency in the country here Saturday.
Dozens of Rawalpindi and Islamabad journalists, lawyers, civil society members and students wearing black armbands and carrying black flags and banners inscribed with anti-government slogans attended the rally. The participants of the rally also strongly condemned the attitude of security officials who snatched the cameras of photojournalists stopping them from covering the aftermath of suicide bombing near Hamza Camp earlier in the day. They demanded of the government to stop brutality against media particularly the discrimination against Geo TV.
Addressing on this occasion some journalists said that Geo TV was presenting public’s favourite programmes on roads due to public interest. A heavy contingent of Punjab police was present in front of Jang building on the occasion. |
