=> HUMAN rights activists have strongly condemned the
HUMAN rights activists have strongly condemned the police torture on senior journalist Mahboob Hiraj, Edition In-Charge of the News, demanding immediate dismissal from service of the SHO concerned who was personally involved in the brutal act.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Vice-Chairperson Punjab Hina Jilani told The News that the incident was a follow-up of the government’s vicious campaign to keep journalists and civil society away from writing truth by creating an atmosphere of fear around them. She said the commission had already noted the details of the incident and it would not only mention it into the ongoing campaign of persecuting journalists in their annual report but also take up the matter with the concerned local and international bodies.
HRCP Council Member and Campaign for Democracy and Rule of Law Pakistan convenor Shahtaj Qazilbash stated that the concerned Station House Officer Javed Siddiq should have been immediately suspended for beating a journalist and filing a fake case against The News staffer Mehboob Hiraj by abusing his powers and violating the law.
She said the SHO might have done the deed over some personal grudge or to warn the journalists of writing against the activities of the concerned police but he might have been suspended immediately by the authorities. HRCP Council Member Nadeem Anthony also criticised the police authorities for giving their subordinates a go-ahead to create an atmosphere of terror in their concerned areas and frighten every citizen, especially those who serve as watchdog upon the police activities in order to maintain their authoritative grip over the civil society.
Source: The News
Date:2/10/2008
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