Journalists condemn killing of Mumtaz
PESHAWAR: Like other parts of the country, working journalists from FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday held a protest demonstration against the brutal killing of tribal journalist Malik Mumtaz in Waziristan Agency, and asked the government to arrest the killers and ensure safety of all working journalists. The journalists’ community led by KhUJ President, Arshad Aziz Malik, Peshawar Press Club (PPC) President Nasit Hussain and other senior journalists gathered at main Saddar Road here outside the Press Club and recorded a protest demo. Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the gruesome killing of Malik Mumtaz and failure of the law enforcement agencies to arrest the culprits, they blocked main Sher Shah Suri road for a while.
The infuriated protestors also chanted slogans against the government and law enforcement agencies for failing to stop killing of media persons and arrest the killers. Addressing the demonstrators, leaders of the KhUJ strongly condemned the inhuman killing of Malik Mumtaz and termed it failure on part of the government. They added that journalists across the country and especially in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were targeted aimed to stop writing and speaking truth, but the forces behind these inhuman acts would never succeeded in their evil designs. They asked the government to take effective steps for the security of the journalists, ensure protection to the lives of all working journalists, and expose the real face of culprits involved in the extra-judicial killing of journalists.
Meanwhile, the journalist community in Bajaur tribal region also organized a protest demonstration against the killing of Malik Mumtaz and urged the government to expose the killers and ensure the safety of journalist working in the tribal area.
A large number of local journalists beside the members of Bajaur press club and civil society and workers of different political parties participated in the protest demo. The rally started from Bajaur Press Club and ended at the main square of Khar Bazaar where the protestors were holding play cards stating, “Stop killing of journalists and provide security to journalist’s community”.
Senior journalists including Anwarullah Khan, Mohammad Saleem, Hasbanullah Khan, Irfan, Hanif Jan and Tahir Khan and local leader of PTI Jalaludin Khan were addressed the rally.
They strongly condemned the killing of Malik Mumtaz and said that the recently assassination of their colleague his not only depressed the journalist community but it has also increased the fear among the tribal journalist that had already under threats.
Source: The Nation
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