Threats from militants: Journalists stage rally in Quetta
The Balochistan Union of Journalists staged a demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club (QPC) on Saturday to protest threats to media persons from militants and other pressure groups.
Dozens of journalists from print and electronic media took part in the demonstration. They hoisted black flag atop the QPC building to record their protest. Later the protesters marched on different roads and thoroughfares of the city. They were carrying banners and placards and chanting slogans in favour of their demands. The rally culminated at the QPC where leaders of the journalists community addressed the participants.
The speakers included: President of the Balochistan Union of Journalists Essa Tareen, PFUJ Assistant Secretary Raza-ur-Rehman, President of Quetta Press Club Saleem Shahid and Newspaper Hawkers Union President Haji Muhammad Yousaf. They came down hard on the government for “its failure to stop the killing of media persons in the province.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2011.
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I will quote Kofi Annan who said, I quote" If you compromise your dignity to gain security, you end up loosing both. Living conditions in Balochistan are precarious, however with the coming of the democratic government, things have gone out of control. Probably democracy ( tribal model) has propelled all the war Lords, Criminals and Law Breakers in the higher offices. Militants force the media to give them space and per force they get it. In the last few years we have seen terrorists and militants covering the main pages of print media and voicing their point of view on electronic media. A hard decision will have to be made. Please act by the saying of Kofi Annan.
Don't these journalists know that they are protesting against "our own people" and we will be talking to them soon where ever they are regardless of how many people they have killed. Stop wasting your time as nothing will change.