Attack on Express Group: NA panel seeks report within 24 hours

Expresses displeasure over absence of Punjab police chief in the meeting.

ISLAMABAD:

A parliamentary panel on Thursday directed the Punjab police chief to submit a detailed report over the attack on Express News anchorperson Raza Rumi within 24 hours.

The NA Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage issued notices to the Punjab chief secretary and inspector general over the matter, while expressing displeasure over the absence of the latter in the meeting. Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid asked the committee to take serious notice of his absence.

Other members suggested taking stern action against the IG for failing to send even a representative in his place.

Ihsan Ghani from the National Police Bureau informed the committee that despite several attempts, there was no correspondence from Punjab police regarding attendance in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the panel asked the interior ministry and provincial police chiefs to set up a hotline for journalists under threat.



Committee chairperson Marvi Memon expressed displeasure saying the panel’s directives regarding the hotline had not been taken seriously by authorities. The standing committee had issued the same directions in a meeting held on February 15.

Information Secretary Dr Nazir Saeed informed the committee that the ministry was going to establish hotline in consultation with provinces by April 8 and the committee would be informed about the development.

The information minister told the committee that there were dozens of terrorist groups, any one of which could target journalists. “The government wants to take action but media houses should also condemn those terrorists who have targeted journalists and should not broadcast their news,” he added.

Memon, on the other hand, said protecting the media was the responsibility of the state so that the former can function without fear.

“We have been informed by the government that compensation for media personnel will be standardised across all provinces,” she added.

On March 28, Express Media Group was attacked for the fifth time, a little over two months after three of its staffers were killed in a brazen gun attack in Karachi.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Rumi’s car in Lahore, injuring him and killing his driver. The attack took place just a few hundred yards from the Express News office in Raja Market, which Rumi had just left after hosting his programme ‘Khabar Se Agay’.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2014.