Freedom march: Inquiry launched into journalists’ manhandling

District judge visited site of protest, listened to journalists and police officers

ISLAMABAD: A judicial inquiry was launched regarding the manhandling of a journalists’ rally by the capital police. The inquiry was launched by Islamabad District and Session Judge (west) Sohail Nasir on the directives of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The police forcibly stopped the rally and manhandled the journalists marching to mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

The district judge visited the scene where the police stopped the journalists near D-Chowk on May 3, and met and listened to both the police officers and representatives of the journalists.

Kohsar SHO Khalid Awan told the judge that the city police had orders from higher authorities to prohibit any rally from entering the Red Zone and that police only stopped the journalists from reaching the Parliament House.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2018.