Probe ordered into journalists’ manhandling | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Probe ordered into journalists’ manhandling

MIRPURKHAS – Two parallel enquiries have been ordered against Rangers officials, who confined two journalists and damaged their cameras, and films near Mithi on the occasion of Tharparkar’s by-election.

Two journalists – Muhammad Khalid of the Geo TV Network and Zubair Mujahid of the daily Jang were stopped by Rangers personnel for checking when they were going to cover the by-election in NA-229, Tharparkar-I at Vijhoto checkpoint in the limits of Mithi police station.

As both the journalists started taking shots of security measures and checking by Rangers, officials of Qasim Rangers got angry and damaged the costly video camera of the Geo reporter and destroyed the footage, besides destroying the film of the daily Jang reporter and confined them for about an hour at the Vijhoto checkpoint.

In the meantime, two vans carrying journalists reached the spot and staged a protest against the behaviour of Rangers’ officials. At this, they allowed both the journalists to go and returned their cameras.

When the Rangers high-ups were informed about the incident at Mithi, they ordered immediate enquiry against the officials and Wing Commander Colonel Abid Hussain apologised to the journalists for the act of some Rangers personnel at the Media Centre Mithi.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim has also ordered an inquiry and assured the journalists of action against the concerned Rangers personnel.
Source: The News
Date:8/21/2004