ISLAMABAD: 28 Nov 2024 – Editor, Mr. Tazeen Akhtar, member Media Safety Committee of Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has condemned the “arrest” of Journalist Mati Ullah Jaan in Islamabad by unknown persons on 27 Nov, from the parking of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. He has also expressed deep concern on registration of a totally false FIR and called upon the authorities to quash the FIR and release the journalists immediately.
” It is more an abduction than an arrest as unknown unmarked persons picked him abruptly while he was doing his duty there for the information of the public. The unknown men abducted him in a vehicle that was again unmarked. This speaks loud about the illegal practices being adopted by the authorities to curb the dissent voices, Tazeen Akhtar said in a statement here.
Registration of a totally false FIR would not serve any purpose but further aggravate the grim state of affairs that is already spreading panic and disappointment in the country. Mati Ullah Jaan was lifted from PIMS and not from any road side. He was there to know the exact information about how many people died in operation clean up at Jinnah Avenue on the midnight of 26/27 Nov.
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Tazeen Akhtar noted that government itself is supposed to come clear before media on the matter of the number of the dead in the operation. It is in the interest of the government. Otherwise the number given by PTI sources will be considered correct.
“Now when gov is not giving the exact number and instead the journalists working on the matter are being lifted by unknown people, the gov itself is justifying the apprehensions that the number given by PTI is not wrong, Tazeen Akhtar continued.
He urged upon the authorities to refrain from persecuting the journalists in their desperate moves to crush PTI protests. He demanded unconditional release of journalist Mati Ullah Jaan as soon as possible.
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Tazeen Akhtar condemned the attacks of PTI protestors on the staff of GTV at 26 No stop Kashmir Highway, on a lady journalist of Koh e Noor Tv and other journalists at Jinnah Avenue. He emphasized on the need of the training of the political workers of all parties that the Press and Media is not your party. Therefore focus their energies onto their political rivals only and not on the journalists.
Finally, Mr. Tazeen Akhtar said, Ministry of Information, The Press Council of Pakistan, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, All Pakistan Newspapers Society and other responsible departments and organizations are supposed to act in this regard timely and effectively as International organizations like Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders and other always take the lead while our orgs remain double minded for their interests attached to the authorities.
Pakistan in the World – October 2024
