PTI MNA’s secretary manhandles reporter in Hangu

HANGU: A local journalist was manhandled after he asked a question from the lawmaker about the poor participation of people in the long march here on Saturday.

Local journalists said that their colleague Esarul Haq Qasmi threw a question to the Member of National Assembly Nadeem Khayal about the rifts in the local chapter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the minimal participation of workers and general public in the long march.

They said the question infuriated Muhammad Arif, the secretary of the lawmaker, who hit the reporter with fists and foot.

Later, other workers also beat the journalist for asking such tough questions.

The journalists said that there was a negligible number of PTI marchers due to internal rifts while the party had hired many vehicles to take them to Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, journalists’ community from the merged districts and elsewhere in the country have condemned the PTI workers for torturing the journalist while he performing his professional duty.

The journalists in Orakzai, Hangu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber and other district staged protest rallies demanded action against the PTI workers for torturing the reporter.

Speaking at a protest rally, Orakzai Press Club president Shaheed Khan, Khan Zaman Orakzai and others said that strict action should be taken against PTI workers and the secretary of MNA.

They also urged the government to provide protection to the journalists in the merged districts and elsewhere in the country.