Journalist manhandled by supporters of former minister | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Journalist manhandled by supporters of former minister

Bureau Chief of “ARY One World” TV channel, Farhan Effendi was manhandled and injured by the supporters of a former provincial minister Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Mirza in his press conference in Hyderabad city of Sindh province of Pakistan on Monday, August 30, 2011.

Effendi, who is also the General Secretary of Hyderabad Union of Journalists, told Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) that he posed a question to the former home minister with reference to a point raised by him in his opening remarks. Mirza was upset at this mischaracterisation of his remarks and started yelling at Effendi without allowing him to complete his query, lost his cool and branded him as an agent of his opponent political party. Later, Mirza’s guards started beating Effendi and broke his four teeth.

Effendi told that the situation went out of control when supporters trained their sophisticated weapons at journalists covering the press conference at Hyderabad Press Club. When the entire journalist community present protested did Mirza’s guards stop.

However, Mirza later apologised for the behaviour of his guards.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ) have expressed their indignation over the brutal attack on Effendi and demanded an appropriate response from the government.

Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Date:9/5/2011