Media-lawyers imbroglio defused
Karachi:The stand-off between the journalists and the lawyers came to an end as both sides agreed to withdraw their boycott against each other and reach a mutual understanding that both would respect each other’s role in the movement for the independence of the judiciary.
A consensus was also evolved which said that journalists withdraw their stand on boycott of the courts proceedings. This consensus was developed in the in-house meeting of journalists held on Tuesday at the Press Club, with KUJ President Shamim-ur-Rehman in the chair. Others who represented the journalists were KPC Secretary Imtiaz Khan Faran, PFUJ Secretary Mazhar Abbas, and others. Secretary, SHCBA, Muneer-ur-Rehman, KBA President Iftikhar Qazi, and – General KBA, Naeem Qureshi, represented lawyers community.
Earlier, a meeting with the member Karachi Bar Council and elected members of the KPC and Journalists body was at a local hotel, which lasted for two hours. Both the sides stuck to their guns. However, the KUJ President and other journalists’ bodies, using their good offices, resolved the issue amicably.
The journalists committee set up to resolve the issue between them and the journalists following Friday’s incident believed that a conspiracy was being hatched to subvert the peaceful movement of the lawyers. Under a mutual understanding, both resolved to cooperate in the ongoing protest of lawyers against the suspension of the CJP and restoration of independence of judiciary and vowed to foil all attempts to sabotage the struggle.
The speakers stressed the need for good working relations between the two.
The journalists who gave the consent to the negotiation team for coverage of the courts proceedings unanimously agreed for news coverage as they were given assurance by the legal fraternity that such incidents would not recur.
The journalists were also to move in group form on Wednesday to avoid any such situation, as the lawyers would also staged a big rally as countrywide protest was decided by Pakistan Bar Council on every hearing date of Supreme Judicial Council.
A committee was also formed for April 18, lawyers protest committee, which will coordinate media personnel, which include former KBA President Mehmood-ul-Hasan and Ali Abbasi.
Source: The News
Date:4/18/2007
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