APNS asked to observe one-day country-wide strike
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Condemning the government's action against freedom of press in general and against the Jang group in particular, Karachi Union of Journalist and Jang Publications Employees Union (CBA) in a joint meeting on Monday demanded of the government to stop action against the media.
The meeting adopted a resolution demanding of the APNS to observe a country-wide one-day strike of newspapers to condemn the government for its nefarious designs against the Jang Group. Speaking on the occasion the PFUJ President Abdul Hamid Chapra urged the workers to remain united during this tough time.
In the emergent meeting held in the newsroom of Jang Karachi, Chapra said that PFUJ had always backed the APNS and CPNE and never backed out from its struggle for the freedom of press. He criticised the Lahore-based group of newspapers for its anti- labour policies and said that the heads of that group never allowed trade unions to function in their organisations. Chapra said Daily Jang has pledged to say and write the truth that is why the government is targeting it. He said that thousands of newspaper workers were attached with the Jang Group and any attempt to threaten their employment would be strongly resisted.
KUJ leaders Wirasat Hasnain, Afzal Baloch, Karachi Press Club Secretary Mazhar Abbas, Herald Workers Union president Khursheed Tanveer and others also spoke on the occasion and pledged to resist the government's move against the media. Mazhar Abbas said that APNS should observe one-day strike against the government. He also demanded formation of a judicial commission in which the newspapers' owners can submit their assets. He also demanded a probe into the assets of Nawa-e-Waqt Group.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Councils of Editors of about 300 publication of Punjab was held in Lahore with Shaikh Muhammad Yousuf, Editor Daily Awaz in the chair. The meeting condemned the government's action against the Jang Group and demanded an immediate halt to intimidation of the media. After the meeting, a black flag was hoisted at the Lahore Press Club to protest the government's actions against the Jang Group.