Fight for press freedom till goal achieved: RIUJ
ISLAMABAD – Journalists’ protest against curbs on free media continued on Tuesday as hundreds of media persons and civil rights activists staged a protest demonstration in front of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club.
‘Fight for independent media will never cease’, ‘we never accept black laws’, were the slogans chanted by enraged journalists. To exhibit their solidarity with struggling media persons, a large number of civil society representatives and political activists were also standing shoulder to shoulder with them.
“ Free press is the fourth pillar of the state and no state can progress without an independent media. We urge government to lift restrictions on media and face the truth”, said Bushra a student of AIOU.
Journalists wearing blackbands carried placards inscribed with ‘Unshackle electronic media’, ‘Reinstate deposed judges’, ‘Go Musharraf go’ etc. Journalists belonging to different print and electronic media used to come to address the gathering and many of them recited classical Urdu poems depicting the colours of hatred against tyranny.
“ We want to clarify one thing upon the government that we are and will always remain united and no coercive or persuasive force can derail our movement for the freedom of expression”, said President RIUJ, Afzal Butt.
Self-proclaimed politician cum human rights activist J. Salik joined the procession along with his aides. He announced to go on hunger strike till the demands of restoration of constitution and deposed judges were fulfilled.
During a two-hour long protest demonstration angry protestors demanded the government to lift ban on Geo TV. “ It is highly condemnable to block out one of the leading news channel of Pakistan. The government must lift curbs on it to show the respect towards masses’ sentiments”, said Khalid, a participant wearing black jacket.
Source: The Nation
Date:11/28/2007
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