DIG traffic to probe manhandling of journalists

Karachi
The chief minister appointed on Sunday the DIG traffic as the inquiry office to probe the manhandling of journalists by police outside in the high court a day earlier.
In e a meeting with the affected reporters and cameramen, Qaim Ali Shah said DIG traffic Dr Ameer Shaikh would probe the incident and those found guilty would be taken to task. The meeting was also attended by information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon.
The chief minister said he believed in the freedom of media and assured the media personnel that no such incident would occur in the future. “I have already directed the IGP to provide protection to media personnel while they are covering an event,” he added.
Memon said that he had already apologized to the affected reporters and cameramen over incident.
“Journalists are my brothers and they have always supported our government. We won’t allow police to harass them,” he added. The chief minister said the inquiry officer would submit a report to him within a week.

Political leaders condemn
Political leaders have condemned the roughing up of media personnel and demanded action against those responsible for it.
Pakistan Muslim League-Functional leader Imtiaz Sheikh said it was highly deplorable that the media personnel were thrashed by masked men.
He said using police for beating up right in front of the high court building was a despicable act.
Sheikh also said the inquiry ordered into the incident was a waste of time as it was unlikely to yield any results
Another PML-F leader, Nusrat Saher Abbasi said the present provincial government had resorted to action even worse than those witnessed during the eras of dictatorship.
Former home minister and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Rabita Committee member Waseem Akhtar too expressed similar views and condemned the incident.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Irfanullah Marwat said the provincial government and its new home minister were responsible for this shameful act.
Provincial assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said police had no right to baton-charge journalists who were only performing their duties.
He also conceded that the government had failed to handle the situation in a proper manner.
Durrani said, he, as the provincial assembly speaker, apologised to the entire journalist fraternity for the incident.
Former Pakistan Union of Journalist general secretary Mazhar Abbas also condemned the incident and demanded action against the policemen who were involved in it.
The Sindh Bar Council too condemned the manhandling of reporters and cameramen by police and described it as a move against the sanctity of the superior judiciary.