Reporting team of TV channel attacked in Thatta
A reporting team of “DawnNews”, a private TV news channel, was fired upon by unidentified persons in Tehsil Jati of district Thatta in Pakistan’s second largest Sindh province on February 04, 2011. The team was attacked as they were reporting illegal seizure of landfor their programme. The reporting team included senior anchor Syed Talat Hussain and cameraman Haider Ali.
Ali told Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) that they were recording their programme on the plight of flood affectees in interior Sindh. Ali said few villagers informed them that Ghulam Qadir Malkani, a former advisor to the Chief Minister of Sindh, had forcibly evicted them from their 200 acre land which included their crops and homes. The reporting team decided to confirm the report.One of the villagers guided them the route and stopped at some distancesaying that he cannot gobeyond that point because the armed persons will detain and beat him. Ali said he and Hussain walked ahead in the field.Hussainidentified himself in loud voice and called the people therebut no one replied.
Suddenly, snipers opened fire on the reporting team. Some of armed men also followed the reporting team is it tried to flee. Hussain and Ali managed to escape to a safe area. Cameraman Ali didn’t shut off his camera and recordedtheincident.
According to press reports, sub-machine guns and other sophisticated weapons were used in the attack and the pellets from the rounds landed around the team.The Dawn News and journalistic organizations have condemned the attack on journalists demanding an immediate investigation in the incident.
Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan also strongly condemned the attack on the journalists. Terming it an unfortunate incident, he ordered the police to hold an inquiry into it and expose the culprits.
The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah ordered the regional police officer of Hyderabad and the district police officer of Thatta to conduct an enquiry and to submit a report.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak has sought a report about the incident.
Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Date:2/7/2011
” 
” 
” 
” 
” 
