Burning newspapers our democratic right: PPP Karachi president
KARACHI: The President PPP Karachi Najmi Adam has justified the protest of party workers held at the local press club and burning of copies of newspapers as their democratic right.
Addressing a press conference he said workers who are still agitated have been advised by the leadership to cool down. Najmi Alam set aside allegations in a news item published in daily Jang that certain elements, on his directives, had been snatching bundles of newspapers and threatening cable operators to shut down Geo TV.
He out rightly rejected the charges as baseless and threatened to a contempt case in case the Jang management failed to express regrets over the allegations. Accompanied by the local PPP General Secretary Saeed Ghani and Secretary information Latif Moghal he said we too condemn blocking of TV channels burning of newspapers. He recalled that PPP had taken an active part in all the movements against curbs on news- papers and channels and for the freedom of press including the implementation of the wage board award. Freedom of media and journalism is part of the party manifesto, he said adding the PPP had been shoulder to shoulder with the Jang and its employees when Nawaz Sharif had taken action against them. Benazir Bhutto had led the rally in that movement. However later on Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman had reconciled with Nawaz Shatit Najmi Alam accused that character assassination of President Asif Ali Zardari is being conducted under a conspiracy on a baseless issue to divert attention from the flood victims.
Saeed Ghani speaking on the occasion said PPP workers had been tolerating all sorts of accusations against their leadership for the last two and a half years. It was their democratic right to raise voice and express their sentiments and put on fire copies of newspapers at the press club.
The workers are still agitated but they have been asked by the leadership to cool down.
We believe in reconciliation otherwise protests could have been launched against closure of TV channels and snatching of newspapers bundles that appears the extension of the conspiracy that had emerged at Birmingham. Where were these persons making hue and cry today when three channels were closed three days back? Why they failed to raise yoke for the freedom of press at that time, Ghani pointed out. To a question he said contempt case would be lodged against any news that will be against the president.
However all protests launched by the PPP will remain within the ambit of democracy.
Source: The News
Date:8/11/2010