Demo against govt attempts to gag media
ISLAMABAD: Mediapersons on Monday staged a protest demonstration in front of the Parliament House to mark the bloody May 12 as a black day, demanding protection and a free environment to mediapersons for their professional duties.
A number of opposition senators and MNAs joined the demonstration to express solidarity with the journalists, photojournalists and cameramen. Holding black placards against the government as well as its key ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), media organisations’ representatives, including Mushtaq Minhas and Afzal Butt, spoke on the occasion denouncing the measures aimed at gagging the media.
Drenched in perspiration under the blazing sun, the demonstrators blocked the main entry gate of the Parliament House for some time and then dispersed peacefully. Minhas paid tributes to mediapersons for upholding their professional values despite unprecedented violence unleashed on them. He alleged that the government, by employing these machinations wanted to intimidate the media in a bid to stop them from covering events in an objective manner.
He proposed to the government to form a commission, headed by a high court judge to investigate violence against journalists, photographers and firing on the head office of Aaj television which continued for many hours. Afzal Butt condemned the blatant actions targeting the media.
Source: The News
Date:5/15/2007
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