Journalists condemn colleague’s murder
HYDERABAD- The journalists of Hyderabad held a protest meeting here on October 23, 2002 to condemn the gruesome murder of the Kawish correspondent, Shahid Soomro, in Kandhkot, Jacobabad district.
The News editor of daily Kawish, Niaz Panwhar, briefed the meeting about the background of the journalist and the stories filed by him.
Condemning the civil society’s insensitivity, they said that normally the journalists’ murders went unhonoured, unwept and unsung.
They said that no responsible member of the society came forward to console with the family, consequently leaving it with no option but to strike a deal with the accused party or face the consequences.
Roundly condemning the cold-blooded murder of Soomro, the journalists demanded to punish the killers under the anti- terrorism laws.
A journalist suggested to entrust a team, comprising investigative journalists, to prepare its report to see if the facts matched with those of the police investigating officer.
The journalists, most of whom were of the view that the feudal lords were very powerful, called upon the human rights bodies to work in areas like Jacobabad and Kandhkot, to let them know that there were people who do not subscribe to their Sardari system.
The journalists deplored the fact that despite banning of the Jirga system in the upper Sindh, the tribal chiefs continued to rule over the helpless people.
The meeting decided that journalists from all over Sindh would gather in Kandhkot on Oct 27.
The meeting appealed to newsmen all over Pakistan to observe a ‘black day’ on Oct 27.
The participants of the meeting decided that the journalists would boycott all news concerning the Bijaranis till the registration of a case under the Anti-terrorism Act and arrest of all the attackers. They also appealed to the newspapers not to give coverage to the Bijaranis.
The meeting decided to hire the services of lawyers after consultation with the heirs of the deceased. The meeting also called upon the journalists all over the country to donate one-day salary to the bereaved family.
The meeting took serious notice of the reports that the police and the elements involved in the murder were trying to give it a different colour to save the culprits.
The journalists later held a protest demonstration outside the press club. The meeting was presided over by the convener of the Sindh Journalists Organisation, Ali Hassan. Those, who spoke on the occasion, included Saleem Qureshi, Aziz Malik, Iqbal Mallah, Sarfaraz Vistro, Hamid Sheikh and others.
Journalists of Dadu took out a procession from the press club to the New Chowk on October 23, 2002, condemning Soomro’s murder.
The journalists also observed a token hunger strike, demanding exemplary punishment to the killers.
Source: Dawn
Date:10/24/2002
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