Journalists warn of movement against Sarbazi’s disappearance
KARACHI (September 23 2006): Various journalistic bodies here on Friday agreed to launch a joint movement till all missing journalists including those detained by agencies without any charges were recovered or produced before courts. This was vowed during a protesting gathering of Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) held at Karachi Press Club (KPC) against disappearance of journalist Saeed Sarbazi, who went on missing Wednesday noon. Later, the journalists held a protest walk from the KPC to Governor’s House.
A large number of journalists marched to the Governor House, chanting slogans like ‘Release Saeed Sarbazi’, ‘Rule of bullet and baton will not continue’, ‘Quit this forged democracy’, and ‘Who is friend of rulers is a traitor’. They carried banners inscribed with slogans against missing of Sarbazi, a senior sub-editor of Daily Business Recorder, Karachi and joint secretary of KPC. They staged a sit-in on the main entrance of the Governor House and demanded for early recovery of missing journalists. Officer-bearers of Karachi Press Club, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Karachi Union of Journalists were also present. However, they were not allowed entry in the Governor House for talks. They gave a 12-hour ultimatum to the government for recovery of Sarbazi and warned that in case of failure a series of sit-in would be held in front of CM House, and office of Corps Commander Karachi, and an indefinite protest drive would be initiated.
Earlier addressing to the gathering at the KPC, Mazhar Abbas termed this period as the darkest era for journalists, saying they were manhandled by agencies. He cited examples of disappearance of Muneer Mengal, who arrived in Karachi for launching a Baloch TV, Mehardeen Marri of Sindhi daily Kawish, missing since July 2, Mukesh Ropeta and Sanjay Kumar both detained from Jacobabad, killing of Maqbool Hussain Sayal in D I Khan and killing of Taimoor Khan, the brother of a BBC’s correspondent in Wana and implicating Shakeel Anjum of The News in a triple murder case.
Ghazi Salahuddin, president of KPC, urged for formation of a caravan of civil organisation, lawyers, doctors and others to end incidents like disappearance of eminent personalities.
Ayub Jan Sarhandi, president of KUJ, castigated the regime for suppressing journalists for pointing out heinous crimes of ruling classes, claming that the government was aware of place where Saeed Sarbazi had been kept. Khursheed Abbasi, vice president of KPC, said no one was above the law of land and if anyone was involved in a crime, he must face the law but the tradition of extra-judicial activities like detaining journalists without any allegation and torturing them could not be accepted. Najeeb Ahmed, general secretary of KPC, Arbab Chandio and other senior journalists also spoke.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:9/23/2006
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