Ministers’ armed men attack Dokri Press Club, beat journalists
Larkana, July 24: Press Club Dokri of Larkana district was attacked by armed men of provincial minister who beat journalists for getting a news item published in newspapers. This was stated by journalists from Dokri while briefing newsmen at press club Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The Dokri journalists Zubair Mangi of Sindh Television, Moonis Bukhari of daily Express and Ramzan Junejo, President of Press Club, Dokri informed their Hyderabad counter parts that Sindh Minister for Power and Relief Altaf Unnar forced taluka nazim Dokri Shafqat Unnar to resign and the charge of taluka nazim was given to naib nazim.
Media carried news stating ” In charge Taluka Nazim had drawn Rs.100 millions from the funds of Taluka Municipal Administration Dokri in 10 days and then TMA record was set on fire.” They said this news item provoked Sindh Minister for Power and Relief Altaf Unnar whose
9 armed men led by notorious dacoit Allan Junejo attacked journalist Zubair Mangi in bazaar of Dokri 5 days back and beat him mercilessly for 15 minutes.
No one in the bazaar dared to rescue journalist for fear of the armed men. The attackers threw him when they thought that he had died. They said they went to the police station Dokri and asked for filing FIR against minister and his armed men but SHO filed FIR of his liking excluding names of Altaf Unnar and dacoit Allan Junejo.
They said the next day, the journalists were having a meeting at the Dokri Press Club Dokri when all of a sudden Allan Junejo led armed men and enquired of Zubair. When they did not find him they caught Moonis Bukhari and dragged him to the bazaar, strangulating his neck with a handkerchief and patrolled the bazaar of Dokri.
The armed men threatened that this punishment was nothing and if the journalists published any more news against the minister Altaf Unnar they will be killed. They said when they went to the police station TPO Nisar Channa refused to lodge their FIR and ridiculed and reprimanded them for publishing news against the minister.
They said the shopkeepers of Dokri observed a shutter down strike for two days to express their solidarity with the journalists.
They said their families were afraid of the minister and as such they have left Dokri to seek help from the journalist community and not return until the culprits who had tortured them and attacked the press club are arrested.
The journalists of Hyderabad under the banner of Hyderabad Press Club and Hyderabad Union of Journalists have asked the higher authorities to take action against provincial minister Altaf Unnar and his armed men including the notorious dacoits for harassing and humiliating the journalists of Dokri and have decided to hold protest demonstrations today (Wednesday) for Dokri journalists.
Source: Pakistan Press Internatinal (PPI News Agency)
Date:7/24/2007
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