Tribal journalists continue protest against alleged harassment

LANDIKOTAL: The Tribal Union of Journalists, Khyber Agency chapter, on Sunday held a protest rally at Bab-i-Khyber in Jamrud tehsil and demanded the government to protect their life and honour.
The protest rally was jointly organised by the TUJ Khyber and Khyber Siyasi Ettihad on Sunday. Besides journalists from Landikotal, Jamrud and Bara, representatives of political parties and civil society members also attended the rally.
Carrying banners and placards, the journalists chanted slogans against the Khyber Rifles and Khyber Agency political administration. They said the administration had launched physical and mental harassment of local journalists. They alleged that the political agent, with the help of Khyber Rifles, was harassing tribal journalists.
Speaking on the occasion, TUJ Khyber Agency President Mehboob Shah Afridi said during the last several months, two of their journalist colleagues were illegally picked up from their homes. Mehboob said it was their prime duty to highlight problems being faced by tribal people but he alleged that the political administration was using various tactics to harass them. Those who spoke on the occasion included Landikotal Press Club president Ali Shinwari, Khyber Siyasi Ettehad president Manzoor Afridi, JUI-F leader Said Kabir, Qazi Fazlullah and Abdul Azam Shinwari.