Journalists mark Day of Mourning | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Journalists mark Day of Mourning

ISLAMABAD: The journalist community and it’s representative organisations Thursday marked Youm-e-Sog (day of mourning) across the country to denounce the kidnap and murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad. Friday (today) would be marked as black day.

In Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar and other cities, journalists gathere at their press clubs and demanded end to violence against mediapersons. Besides protest at the protest club, diplomatic Correspondents Association of Pakistan (DCAP) condemned the murder and termed it a shocking act of barbarism. It demanded the government conduct a transparent inquiry for bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.

DCAP urged the government to appoint a high powered committee led by a judge of a superior court and having representation of journalist bodies to investigate Shahzad’s murder. The association, which represents Islamabad based correspondents covering foreign policy issues, said it was seriously concerned about the safety of its members.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), associated with Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), stands with journalists in Pakistan as they hold two days of mourning for their colleague Syed Saleem Shahzad and prepare for country-wide rallies on June 3 to express their outrage at his murder.

Journalists’ unions affiliated with the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) will hoist black flags and conduct condolence meetings with human rights activists and civil society groups.

The letter to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, signed by the PFUJ and 34 members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), noted that Pakistan’s toll of dead and injured journalists and media workers placed Pakistan ahead of Iraq and Mexico as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists.

Source: The News

Date:6/3/2011