Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) for arresting newsman’s assailants | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) for arresting newsman’s assailants

LAHORE- The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editor (CPNE) has strongly condemned the attack by some unidentified persons on the chief reporter of daily The News, Shakil Shaikh in a busy Islamabad area, and expressed concern over delay in apprehending those responsible for the dastardly act.

The president of CPNE Arif Nizami, in a statement, deplored the lack of response from the government, to the reprehensible incident. He termed this as the negation of government’s oft-repeated claim of protection of the press freedom.

He also noted with concern the perception in some quarters that the attack was at the behest of official agencies and expressed the hope that this was incorrect, for otherwise it would place the entire episode in a new light, reflecting badly on the government.

He noted that it was not the first time that pressmen had been subjected to violence, and called for a thorough investigation by the government, which will not only mollify the injured feelings of the journalists but also help check recurrence of such ugly incident.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/3/2001