Reporting team of television channel attacked
A reporting team of “SAMAA TV” a private news channel, was attacked by unknown armed persons who detained the media team for over two hours on January 01, 2011 in the industrial town of Faisalabad of Pakistan’s largest Punjab province.
The reporting team included, Reporter Mannan Ashraf, Cameraman Salman Ashraf, Trainees Muhammad Sajid and Muhammad Saeed, Satellite Engineer Irfan Serwer and driver Mohammed Majeed.
Ashraf told Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) that they were doing a programme on lives of transgender lifestyles and had gone for an interview for their live program “Faisla Aap Ka”. While the SAMAA team was conducting the interview, two men came and hit DSNG van. When Serwer and Majeed who were present in van asked the reason, they used abusive language and demanded the reporting team leave the area. After exchange of hot words, both men went back to call their accomplices.
Ashraf said they proceeded with the interview and as they were packing up the equipment, around 10-15 people with weapons, wooden sticks and bricks attacked them. The members of media team tried to save their vehicle and equipment. During their struggle they received bruises on their body.
All the six persons of media team escaped from spot and entered in a vacant house for safety. The attackers besieged the house and shouted slogans against media. Ashraf informed the police and SAMAA TV office about the incident. On the information the police and journalists reached at the spot. The attackers managed to flee from the scene, but the police arrested one of the alleged attackers.
The President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) Shaukat Pervez and President Punjab Union of Journalist (PUJ) Rai Hasnain demanded of Punjab government to take immediate action against the attackers and punish the culprits.
Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Date:1/3/2011
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