Chakwal march condemns victimisation of Jang Group
By Khwaja Babar Salim
CHAKWAL: Journalists community and Akhbar Farosh Union held a 'Press Freedom March' here on Sunday to condemn government's victimisation policies against the Jang Group of Newspapers. The protesters, who were wearing black arm-bands and holding placard inscribed slogans in support of the press freedom, marched on various roads. Heavy contingent of police was deployed all along the route of the protest march.
Later talking to newsmen, C R Shamsi, Senior Vice-President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) said that PFUJ and APNEC would not withdraw their petition filed in the Supreme Court if the issue between the Jang Group and the government is settled amicably as "we feel that the matter of the press freedom should be settled once for all."
Earlier, through a resolution at a seminar held at Chakwal Press Club the government was asked to stop victimisation of the Jang Group as it is feared that thousands of people would become jobless besides freedom of press is under the siege. The resolution was presented by the Secretary-General Chakwal Press Club. The Seminar was presided over by PFUJ Senior Vice President, C R Shamsi while The Patron-in-Chief of Rawalpindi Divisional Union of Journalists Sufi Muhammad Ayub was the chief guest. The seminar was arranged by the journalists and Akhbar Farosh Union of Chakwal District.
The speakers were of the view that it was not a matter of income tax as claimed by the government. They said the government, which is armed with heavy mandate, has already bulldozed major institutions like Parliament, judiciary and executive and now it wants to curb freedom of the press. In his presidential address, C R Shamsi said the daily Jang is symbol of the federation of Pakistan and it is read all over the country as its neutral policy has attracted millions of people in the country.
Others who spoke on the occasion were Sheikh Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Khan Aqil, Ch Munir Ahmed, Fakhar Mahmood Mirza, Arshad Butt, Afzal Awan, Malik Ghulam Ali, Sultan Khan Sultani, Maulana Mahmoodul Hassan Ghazanfar, Akbar Yousaf Zai and Sufi Muhammad Ayub.