Right to awareness: Journalists mark Press Freedom Day

LAHORE: Journalists marked Press Freedom Day by holding a rally and demanded that the public always maintains its right to knowledge and awareness.

Representatives of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Punjab Union of Journalists, Lahore Press Club, Electronic Media Reporters Association and social activists participated in the rally. Zulfiqar Ali Mehtu, former secretary of LPC, paid tribute to journalists who were under pressure from different societal segments.  “Pakistani journalists are rendering professional duties and the government must ensure social and life security.

He expressed concern that Pakistan’s ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has come down to 139th position out of a 180 countries.

PFUJ President Gohar Butt said Pakistani journalists were increasingly being targeted by online smear campaigns by radical nationalists who vilify and even threaten them. He said some fall prey of attacks and even their families have to face the consequences.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2017.