PAI rally for press freedomPAI rally for press freedom
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Hundreds of Pakistan Awami Ittehad (PAI) workers on Friday marched on The Mall, from the Lahore High Court to the Punjab Assembly building, to express solidarity with the Jang Group and for the freedom of press. The rally, led by PAI patron Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, was also participated by lawyers and (Human Rights activists.
PAI leaders Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Zubair Ahmed Zaheer of Jamaat Ahle Hadith, Naveed Malik, Muhammad Mehdi of Awami Qiadat Party and Nawabzada Nasrullah addressed the participants.
The demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans and vowed to fight for the freedom of press. Linking Nawaz government's policies to that of Gen Ziaul Haq's, Nawabzada said even the British did not restrict the press in the manner the government had. He asked all democratic forces to help unchain the press.
Other speakers said after destroying other state organs, the government was now bent upon destroying it too. The PAI leadership later visited the hunger-strike camp set up at the Lahore Press Club by the Committee for Free Press and met journalists observing strike for the freedom of expression.