On-road TV show attracts crowd
ISLAMABAD: The journalists’ protest against curbs on media revolved around a television talk show staged on Friday in front of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club Camp Office.
The talk show was organised by an anchorperson of a TV channel that had been closed after imposition of emergency rule. The guests on the programme included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N Acting President Javed Hashmi and noted journalists.
Shows being organised by popular anchorpersons of different TV channels have been attracting huge crowds including people from all walks of life during the last couple of days.
Imran Khan said the biggest issue was to have an independent judiciary and termed the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the lawyers who had rallied for him as heroes.
Slogans of ‘Long Live Imran’ echoed each time he spoke about President General Pervez Musharraf. Hashmi said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairwoman Benazir Bhutto and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif should have courted arrests after proclamation of emergency. He ruled out any deal between President Musharraf and the Sharif brothers.
While expressing his views, a journalist said the political parties had no clear agenda and that was one of the reasons why people had not come out on the roads so far.
Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) President Afzal Butt said although the transmission of a leading television channel had now been restored, the protests would still continue. “We will keep protesting till the government withdraws the amended PEMRA and Pakistan Press Council ordinances,” he added.
Amina Masood Janjua whose husband has been ‘missing’ for the last two and a half years and the wife of arrested lawyer Ather Minallah were also given an opportunity to take part in the show.
J A Salik also appeared at the scene, tied up on top of a truck and entangled in barbed wires. Salik, along with several women on board, prayed for the well-being of the country.
Later, it was announced that television talk shows banned by the government would continue to be organised on the roads till all restrictions were withdrawn. Another such programme is scheduled to be held today.
Source: Daily Times
Date:11/24/2007
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