Journalists protest smear campaign against Saleem Safi

MINGORA: The journalists in Swat on Thursday staged protest against the smear campaign on the social media against senior journalist Saleem Safi.

The protest was organised by Swat Press Club and Swat Union of Journalists. Speaking on the occasion, chief organiser Swat Press Club Ghulam Farooq said that Saleem Safi’s voice cannot be silenced through such tactics.

He said that Saleem Safi had always raised voice for the helpless and oppressed people of the society. Journalist Mahboob Ali Yousafzai asked the government to form judicial commission to unmask the people behind such hate campaign.

“Journalists could not be pressurised through such vilification campaign,” explained Mahboob Ali and added that journalist would continue their struggle for freedom of expression.

The journalists holding placards inscribed with slogans in support of Saleem Safi were also addressed by Chairman Swat Press Club Shahzad Alam, journalist Fazal Rahim Khan, and others.

Shahzad Alam while addressing the rally said that Salim Safi raised voice even against the dictators in the past.”If a political party had reservations over the journalist, a transparent accountability be conducted,” Alam said, adding that Saleem Safi would not be left alone. The journalists also threatened that if the malicious campaign did not stop at the earliest, they would stage a sit-in outside the Parliament.