Second ‘warning’: Journalists to protest attack on Express office

Various political leaders, civil society members show support.

KARACHI:

The journalists’ community will hold a countrywide protest against Monday evening’s attack on the Express Media Group office.

In Karachi, the representatives and members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and other supporters will gather outside the press club at 4pm and protest the second attack on the Express media office. The first attack took place on August 17 in broad daylight when a group of armed men opened fire at the main entrance.

PFUJ released a statement soon after to condemn the attack. Its president, Rana Muhammad Azeem, said the journalist fraternity was with Express media in this difficult situation. The union will also hold a sit-in in front of Parliament House on December 7 to demand the federal government provide security to journalists, said a statement after the second Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Azeem in Lahore.

Parties condemn attack

Meanwhile, several political parties also expressed their support to the media group. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the police to take action against the culprits and report to him within 24 hours.  “The attack on the media group is tantamount to an attack on democratic government,” Shah said.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Faryal Talpur promised government support and called the attack a “cowardly” act. Later, PPP’s Owais Muzaffar, PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi and PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi also paid a visit to the office.

The government must expose those trying to suppress the freedom of the media, demanded Pakistan Muslim League - Functional’s Pir Pagara. “This was the second attack,” he said. “The government should stop issuing condemnation statements. We want to know what it has taken against those who fired at the same office earlier.”

Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman pointed out the lack of security provided by the government, despite the earlier attack.

PPP leader Najmi Alam visited the Express media group’s office after the incident. “It is the responsibility of the government to provide security,” he said. “Media groups should openly report on criminals behind such incidents instead of saying that it was done by ‘na maloom afraad’.” Alam felt the attacks were the result of the ongoing targeted operation.

Meanwhile, Sindh High Court Bar Association and Karachi Bar Association said that the members of the bar associations are with the journalists.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2013.