PFUJ condemns attack on mediaman in Sialkot

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the physical assault on Dunya News TV Correspondent in Sialkot Mohammad Imran and termed it a calculated move to intimidate the media and to refrain it from fair and factual reporting.

Sharply reacting to this incident, the PFUJ said that it has once again proved that the law enforcement agencies concerned have failed to discharge their constitutional obligation to protect the life of media persons and ensuring a conducive environment for fair reporting.

According to the reports reaching the PFUJ Secretariat, Hafiz Mohammad Imran was roughed up and injured by unidentified persons outside his residence on August 29 and had to be admitted to a local hospital. The attackers escaped when people started gathering at the place. Imran and his family members have been receiving death threats from unknown callers.

The motive of the attack was to teach a lesson to Imran as he had filmed the gory incident of lynching of two brothers in Silkot in which a group of people were shown hanging him publicly after mercilesslykilling them.

The PFUJ pointed out that on its move, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik had ordered the police to provide security to the media man and other Sialkot-based journalists, who had covered the incident of lynching but no security was provided to them.

Likewise, on August 28, a petition was filed by the Electronic Media Reporters Association (EMRA), seeking protection of Imran and a cameraman, Bilal Khan, who had covered the tragic episode as they were facing death threats. The court issued appropriate orders to the Punjab Police in this regard too.

The PFUJ, condemning this incident in strong terms, held the Punjab government and police responsible for this act and termed it an open threat to journalists fraternity that if they will expose negligence and highhandedness of police and other government functionaries, their life would not be safe.


The PFUJ joined hands with its affiliated Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) and said that it was sad state of affairs that media was targeted by gangs with impunity under official patronage after which the gang then escapes.

The PFUJ demand that the government should take immediate notice of the incident and steps be taken for bringing the real culprits to justice and to ensures safety of media persons.

The PFUJ warned that media persons would not tolerate such types of barbaric acts of the outlaws operating under the patronage of the Punjab Police and gave an ultimatum that if culprits and their masters are not arrested within 48 hours, a country-wide protest would be launched against the Punjab Government till the acceptance of its just demand.

Shamsul Islam Naz
Secretary General
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
12-Nazimuddin Road, F-6/1
Islamabad, Pakistan
Phone Office +92(0)51 2870220-1
Facsimile +92(0)51 2870223
Cellular +92(0)300 8665523
http://www.shamsulislamnaz.com
http://www.pfuj.pk