Peshawar newspaper press set ablaze
PESHAWAR- Angry protesters attacked the office of the daily Frontier Post and set ablaze the printing machinery. The fire gutted the machinery, newsprint rolls as well as other printing material kept in the building.
Despite the presence of police personnel posted at the newspaper office, no efforts were made to prevent the mob, which walked away after ransacking and burnt the printing press, housed in a nearby building.
The fire, which continued for several hours, turned everything into ashes. Various students organizations also held demonstrations to protest against the publication of blasphemous material in the newspaper.
Students started their rally from Peshawar University and after marching through city streets they gathered at the Hayat Shaheed Chowk near the US Consulate, where the rally was diverted by the police to Saddar.
Heavy contingents of police were deployed on all roads and bylanes leading towards the US Consulate. After marching through Saddar streets, the slogan-chanting students gathered outside the Governor’s House where the rally was addressed by their leaders who demanded of the government to award exemplary punishment to the newspaper management. Although, most of the students later dispersed peacefully, a group of students carrying batons entered the Peshawar Press Club and damaged signboards.
Leaders of various religious parties also held a meeting at Madni mosque in Namakmandi. They also took out a procession from the mosque under the leadership of Maulana Abdul Malik of the Islami Muttahida Mahaz, and marched up to the Qisa Khawani Chowk.
Speaking at the rally, the religious leaders asked the local businessmen and shopkeepers to observe a strike against the newspaper on Wednesday.
They said that they would take out a protest procession on an warned the government to stay away from their protest as it was a religious matter and not a political issue. They also asked the government to release those staffers who had no hand in the policy matter of the newspaper.
Some activists of the religious organisations also distributed photocopies of the English and Urdu version of the sacreligious material carried by the newspaper.
The police also raided the hostel of the Agricultural University Peshawar, and seized objectionable booklets containing sacreligious material. It was a move to spark off sectarian clashes in the already tense situation, said a senior police official.
Reliable sources told that the government was considering referring this case to a speedy trial court to ease off the tension.
A group of six lawyers have announced that they would assist the procession against the culprits involved in the blasphemy case.
Earlier in the day the police produced the five employees of the newspaper in a local court for their custody.
The management of The Frontier Post shifted its computer section and library to another building as the present offices had become easy target for protesters.
The management has also filed and application with the police against its two employees, holding them responsible for the crises. One of them Munawwar Mohsan, a Bengali national, is the incharge of the letter’s page.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has appreciated the timely action taken by the government against the newspaper and asked the administration to release all those who were not involved in this sorrowful act.
The provincial government forfeited The Frontier Post’s issue of January 29, which contained a sacreligious letter and hurt feelings of Muslims.
A statement issued by the Home and Tribal Affairs Department said: “The contents of letter are liable of forfeiture under section 99-A of the CrPC 1898. All copies of the said letter along with their translation in any language and in any manner, shall stand forfeited to government with immediate effect.”
The District Magistrate, Peshawar, has issued the following press note: “In order to express their anger against the English daily Frontier Post for publishing a letter containing highly blasphemous material in its issue, dated Jan 29, today (Jan 30), a mob of about 1,000 people, mostly students of a religious party, gathered in front of Takhto Jumaat of Peshawar Cantt. They held a protest meeting there and marched towards Frontier Post’s press section where they became unruly and put press on fire. Necessary legal action is being initiated separately against the miscreants.
“Another procession of about 1,000 people came out from Peshawar University, blocked Jamrud Road near Speen Jumaat for about half an hour and then marched towards Peshawar Cantt. At Peshawar Cantt they gathered at the Press Club, where they were addressed by the dupty commissioner and apprised of the closure of the newspaper and registration of a case under the blasphemy law and arrest of the staff of the paper. They felt appeased an dispersed peacefully.”
“About 60/70 Ulema came out on road in front of Karkhano Market. They remained on the road for about half an hour and dispersed peacefully after knowing about the action already taken by the government against the newspaper, similarly, a group of Ulema belonging to a religious party met at the Madni mosque, Namak Mandi. The city magistrate reached there and addressed them. They, who were about 70/80, peacefully marched towards Shahidano Chowk, Qisa Khawani Bazaar, expressed their sentiments against the newspaper and dispersed peacefully.”
Source: Dawn
Date:1/31/2001
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