PFUJ gives call for protest on Oct 9

AABBOTTABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has given a nationwide call for protest on October 9 against retrenchments in the print and electronic media, non-payment of salaries, unannounced censorship, intimidation of journalists and registration of treason cases against them.

The call was given during the second day of the PFUJ Federal Executive Council (FEC) which is holding its meeting at the Abbottabad Press Club with President Afzal Butt in the chair.

The three-day meeting is being held to discuss the issues being faced by journalists across the country, particularly retrenchments that are being made by the media groups--both print and electronic--as well as the worsening situation in print and electronic media due to unannounced censorship. The FEC meeting is being attended by representatives of journalists from across the country to devise a comprehensive strategy for launching a long struggle not only for the economic rights of media workers, but also to protect the freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution.

“We are facing a great threat from certain elements which want to gag the press freedom,” said a speaker. “Attempts are being made to control the media by curtailing their advertisements, hampering the distribution of newspapers and taking off-air those television channels which do not toe their line,” the FEC observed. “Attempts are also being made to harass the working journalists through front men or other means to initiate cases of treason or register FIR against them under the Anti Terrorism Act,” it observed.

It has also been decided to form a united action committee in collaboration with the CPNE, APNS, PBA, Supreme Court Bar Association, HRCP, civil rights organisations, trade unions and other democratic forces. The FEC also decided to hold an international seminar in collaboration with media networks and human rights organisations on the threat to freedom of expression in Pakistan. The FEC directed all the affiliated unions to mobilise workers across the country for October 9 protest day. “This protest, on October 9, is a warm up exercise for the long struggle that PFUJ is going to launch in the country for the protection of mass scale retrenchments and to protect press freedom,” said Secretary General Ayub Jan Sarhandi, while speaking at the meeting. PFUJ President Afzal Butt said the forces inimical to press freedom should be aware that the PFUJ had a long history of struggle, and it will not allow anyone to reverse the wheel of freedom.”