Countrywide protests against media curbs
KARACHI, Nov 20: Police on Tuesday baton-charged journalists protesting against media curbs and arrested over 100 demonstrators when they tried to march towards the Governor’s House from the Karachi Press Club.
Hundreds of policemen deployed outside the press club sealed all link roads and used batons to stop journalists from taking out a procession. About six media personnel were injured.
The police high-ups justified the action and said that cases would be registered against journalists who, according to them, had violated the law.
“There is no question to ask about the registration of FIR,” Capital City Police Officer Azhar Ali Farooqi said. “Police have moved to protect the law and would do the same again if it is challenged in the future.”
He said that police personnel were bound to regulate the law and order and they were doing their job without considering community and its influence.
“Journalists were arrested after they violated the law,” the CCPO said.
Later in the night, police released all the journalists on the directives of the Sindh governor after registering an FIR against them for violating the law.
In Hyderabad, 19 journalists were arrested for holding a rally against curbs on the media. However, they were released after about three hours.
PUNJAB: Journalists took out processions in Lahore and other parts of Punjab in protest against the media curbs and vowed to continue their struggle.
The protesters carrying banners and placards marched from the Lahore Press Club to the Punjab Assembly building.
Rallies were also held in Faisalabad, Multan, Mianwali, Gujranwala, Okara, Shiekhupura, Toba Tek Singh, Sialkot and other cities and towns.
NWFP: Journalists held rallies in different parts of the NWFP. In Peshawar, a large number of journalists took out a procession from the press club to the telephone exchange near The Mall. They criticised the government for its action against private TV channels.
Journalists also took out a procession in Abbottabad.
BALOCHISTAN: In Quetta, journalists, newspaper workers and members of civil society organisations staged a rally against the closure of two private TV channels.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/21/2007
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