Manhandling of LPC president by wardens: Journalists demand removal of CTO

LAHORE: Different journalist organisations of Lahore and Punjab have demanded immediate removal of the chief traffic officer (CTO) Lahore to avoid any possible rift between the government and the media.

Representatives from Lahore Press Club, Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ), Punjab Assembly Press Gallery Committee and Electronic Media Reporters Association (EMRA) called on Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar at Governor House and demanded immediate removal of the CTO, who, according to them, was tarnishing the image of the government due to his behaviour.

Lahore Press Club secretary Babar Dogar, EMRA secretary Salim Sheikh, Punjab Union of Journalists president Qamar Bhatti, Photo Journalist Association president Iqbal Chaudhry, former president Punjab Assembly Press Gallery Khawaja Naseer, former senior vice president, LPC, Zulfiqar Mathu, treasurer, LPC, Zahid Sherwani, vice president Qazzafi Butt, member governing body Shahid Chaudhry, senior journalists Javaid Farooqi, Khalid Qayyum, Naeem Hanif, Attique Shah and secretary, Punjab Assembly Press Gallery, Faizan Bangash unanimously called for the removal of the CTO.

Babar Dogar briefed the governor on the incident of manhandling of LPC president Arshed Ansari by traffic wardens a couple of days ago.

Governor Ch Sarwar on the occasion expressed serious dismay over manhandling of the LPC president by the traffic wardens and assured the media community that the issue would be taken up before the prime minister and the officials concerned.He hailed the services and contribution of media community for the country and said the government always believed in freedom of media.