Attacks on media houses widely condemned | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Attacks on media houses widely condemned

Pakistan Press Foundation

KARACHI: Attempts to attack media houses in Karachi were widely condemned by almost all sections of the society on Tuesday. The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) condemned the instances of crackers hurled at the offices Business Recorder, and Nawa-e-Waqt Group and explosive material planted at the ARY channel head office in Karachi on Monday evening.

Citing these as attempts to engender a sense of insecurity among professionals and workers concerned, CPNE President Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami and Secretary General Dr Abdul Jabbar Khattak said in a joint statement on Tuesday that these could not harass the media.

They expressed solidarity with the targeted houses and reiterated the CPNE’s resolve to make no compromise vis-à-vis media freedom.They said the media would continue with its efforts to highlight the wrongs committed in any part of the country and protection of the rights of masses.

The CPNE office-bearers also demanded the government to ensure the early arrest of the killers of journalists besides providing required security to the media houses in the country.

Also, on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the community throughout the country on Tuesday held demonstrations and rallies in order to protest against the attacks.

Giving the government an ultimatum, PFUJ President Rana Muhammad Azeem and Secretary General Amin Yousuf demanded that those responsible for the attacks should be arrested in the next 48 hours. He said after the passage of deadline, journalists would hold country-wide rallies.

In Lahore, journalists gathered at the Charing Cross in front of the Punjab Assembly to condemn the attacks on media houses.

The Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) Secretary Amir Sohail said such attacks could never terrorise the journalist community. Journalists also gathered outside the Karachi Press Club to condemn the terror attacks.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain condemned the attack and termed it an attack on the freedom of press.

Our Correspondent adds from Karachi: Various religious parties strongly condemned the attacks on the media by terrorists and demanded that police should make a complete investigation in this regard and arrest the culprits.

Jamaat-e-Islami, Sunni Tehrik and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimin termed the two attacks within 24 hours a complete failure of the government and said such acts of terrorism proves that there was no writ of the government.

The Tanzeem-e-Islami said the attacks were cowardly acts.Our correspondent adds from Lahore: The attacks show that media freedom is under serious assault, said Safma Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, President Nusrat Javeed and Media Commission-Pakistan General Secretary Babar Ayaz.

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