Journalists stage demonstration outside US consulate
KARACHI, June 20 2006: A large numbers of journalists from print and electronic media participated in a rally organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the KUJ from Karachi Press Club (KPC) to the US consulate to protest the murder of tribal journalist Hayatullah, who went missing while investigating the killing of a senior Al-Qaeda operative in a tribal area six months ago.
The journalists came out of the KPC after a well-attended protest meeting and marched towards the US consulate building en route Saddar and Metropole Hotel, chanting anti-US and anti-Musharraf slogans. The protestors were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans condemning the murders of Hayatullah and KTN cameraman Munir Sangi. “Bush, Mush responsible for Hayatullah’s murder,” said a banner. “Arrest the killers of innocent journalists,” read another.
The police officials tried to stop the journalists at the Metropole Roundabout but the protestors crossed the barricades erected by the police in order to reach the US Consulate building, where they stage a sit-in. PFUJ Secretary General Mazhar Abbas, KUJ President Ayub Jan Sarhandi and veteran journalist Abdul Hameed Chapra accused the US authorities and the Pakistani government for being involved in Hayatullah’s murder. They pledged to continue their struggle against the suppression of freedom of expression and killing of journalists.
Earlier, a meeting was held at Ibrahim Jalees Hall of the KPC to protest the murder of Hayatullah, who worked for a local newspaper and European Pressphoto Agency and whose body was found dumped outside the town of Mir Ali in North Waziristan tribal district Friday. The hall was packed to its capacity with journalists from print and electronic media. The lukewarm action against those involved in the murder of cameraman Munir Sangi and life threats to a Sindh TV reporter Sarmad Kanrani for reporting on illegal jirga held in Jacobabad district were also discussed on the occasion.
Sindh TV’s Abdur Razzak Sirohi informed the gathering that Kanrani reported the jirga’s decision in which one of the two warring sides had been asked to handover five minor girls as compensation to the other side. The jirga was presided over by PPP-P MNA Hazar Khan Bijarani while provincial minister Dr Sohrab Sarki was represented by one of his aides. “Our reporter Sarmad Kanrani is constantly receiving life threats from the area’s influential feudal lords,” he said.
KTN’s Arbab Chandio said that despite the government’s tall claims, Sangi’s murder case was being thrown into cold storage and the main accused in the case were being released. Aamer Ahmed Khan of BBC News briefly narrated the air he felt during his brief stint in Waziristan and said the things were very difficult for both the people of Tribal Areas and the media professionals and added that the latter were exposed to immense dangers.
KPC secretary Najeeb Ahmed said that the journalists’ struggle for the security and rights of people and their own would continue. PFUJ Secretary General Mazhar Abbas said that the journalists, who had faced similar situations in the past, are being victimised because of their commitment to their cause of reporting the truth.
“The PFUJ has always remain in the battlefield and we will not get fatigued in fighting a war which we believe that we’ll win in the end,” Abbas said. He demanded for setting up of a judicial commission headed by a judge of the Supreme Court to investigate Hayatullah’s murder. Besides, he said a judicial commission of the Sindh High Court be established to investigate Sangi’s murder. Abbas also expressed concern on the threats to Kanrani. Abdul Hameed Chhapra said Hayatullah was a classic case of how the imperialism powers suppressed rebel voices. “He is murdered for his courageous reporting,” he said.
Source: Daily Times
Date:6/20/2006
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