Tribal journalist’s killing
PESHAWAR: A Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ)-convened meeting of various bodies of media people on Monday took exception to the government, media owners and journalists’ representative organisations for cold-shoulder response towards the assassination of tribal journalist Nasrullah Afridi and worked out a proper line of action to take up the issue properly at all forums and pay proper compensation to the bereaved family of the slain journalist.
Chaired by KhUJ President Arshad Aziz Malik, the meeting was attended by KhUJ Senior Vice-President Ali Hazrat Bacha and General Secretary Yousaf Ali, Peshawar Press Club President Saiful Islam Saifi, General Secretary Shahid Hameed, Tribal Union of Journalists President Safdar Hayat Dawar, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Assistant Secretary General Khalid Khan, PFUJ Federal Executive Council Members Bakhtzada Yousafzai and Ansar Abbas, Provincial President of South Asia Free Media Association Shamim Shahid and others.
The meeting decided that on the call of PFUJ, a big protest would be staged outside the Peshawar Press Club on May 21 (Saturday) to press the government to take proper protective measures for journalists, conduct inquiry into the killing of Nasrullah Afridi and announce compensation for the victim family on the pattern of policemen.
The participants of the meeting blasted the Peshawar Police for presenting a wrong picture of the killing. They said that police deliberately distorted facts to play down the importance of the case. It was a clear case of target killing. A magnet bomb had been attached to his car, the participants made it clear.
The participants of the meeting were critical of the provincial government, the governor’s secretariat and the federal government for not even condemning the incident, let alone ordering inquiry into it and announcing compensation for the family. They stated that Nasrullah Afridi was the lone bread earner for his family comprising his widow and six children, including three special ones.
The participants of the meeting were also not happy with the delayed response from the PFUJ and other international organisations of journalists. During the meeting, PFUJ Secretary General Amin Yousaf, however, made a telephone call to the KhUJ president giving a call for the protest. The participants of the meeting welcomed the call.
Source: The News
Date:5/17/2011
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