Newsmen Protest outside US Consulate
KARACHI-The newsmen staged protest before US Consulate on April 9, 2003. They condemned the killings of three foreign journalists in missile attack by US and allied forces in Palestine hotel Baghdad.
They said that it was an attack on freedom of press and termed it to gag the voice of International Press. It was the first protest outside the US Consulate, Karachi during the invasion on Iraq, Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) gave the call.
The newsmen and photojournalists gathered outside Karachi Press Club (KPC), and started march towards US Consulate near Sindh Governor, and Chief Minister Houses. They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans condemning killings of journalists, they chanted slogans against America and US President George W. Bush.
The procession passing through PIA Booking Office and I Governor House Chowrangi via Hotel Metropole reached in front of the US Consulate. The Rangers and police tried to stop the newsmen but they kept on their march.
The police guarding US Consulate office stood alert and took positions to meet any eventuality. The procession reached outside the Consulate, chanted slogans against America and observed a one-minute silence in the respect of deceased journalists and killings of innocent people of Iraq.
Representatives of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) including Abdul Hameed Chhapra, Karachi Press Club President, Sabihuddin Ghausi, Khursheed Abbasi, Secretary and leader of KUJ Mazhar Abbas addressed the
protestors outside the US Consulate.
They strongly condemned the killing of Iraqi people and newsmen by the allied forces in Iraq. They expressed solidarity with the innocent Iraqi people and newsmen embedded with different troops at different fronts of war.
They said that journalists’ community of the City in particular and of country in general has been the part of international voice of journalists’ society.
They said that their community was the part and parcel of peoples voice against the US invasion on Iraq across the globe.
The representatives demanded of America to stop killing of innocent people and journalists in heavy bombardment in Iraqi cities and warned that the newsmen in Pakistan would take on the roads.
In the continued protest demonstrations against US invasion on Iraq, JUP supporters staged demonstration outside Karachi Press Club. Darul Uloom Mujaddadia Naeemia and Bazm-e-Ghausia organized the demonstration.
Dr Allama Arif Qadri and others addressed the protestors. They condemned the US invasion on Iraq and killing of innocent people of Iraq.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/10/2003
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