Demonstrations: Haripur journalists protest ‘intrusion’ in press club

Speakers criticise K-P government of “driving a wedge” between journalists.

HARIPUR:

Members of Haripur Press Club on Wednesday held protests against the provincial government and the information department for ‘intruding’ in the affairs of the press club.

A large group of journalists marched from the Haripur press club to the district courts holding placards and chanting slogans against the provincial government and the information department. The journalists warned of widespread protests if they continued their “partisan approach”.

The speakers criticised provincial ministers Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Qazi Muhammad Asad and Deputy Director Information Abbottabad Muhammad Tayyab of “driving a wedge” between the local journalist fraternity by announcing to set up a parallel body of the Haripur Press Club.

They said they had accepted mediation from the information department and some journalists from Abbottabad and Peshawar, however, when the members failed to hold scheduled elections between January 2 and 8, the press club elected its office bearers as per its constitution on January 9.

The journalists said the provincial government and the information department have no legal role in the affairs of press club, which is an autonomous entity meant to be run by journalists alone.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2012.