Slain journalist laid to rest

LAHORE:Funeral prayers for Lahore Press Club council member and crime reporter Hasnain Shah was offered in front of Lahore Press Club here on Tuesday.

Journalists, government, political and social figures, police officers and people from all walks of life attended the funeral prayers. Hasnain Shah, who was shot dead by unidentified motorcyclists near Lahore Press Club on Monday, was buried in Bibi Pakdaman cemetery in the presence of hundreds of mourners.

The governing body of Lahore Press Club termed the incident a great tragedy for the journalist community. Meanwhile, investigation is under way with the help of CCTV footage of the blind murder of Hasnain Shah. Police expanded the scope of investigation with the help of CCTV footage while the number plate of the motorcycle used by the shooters turned out to be fake. Footage showed that the shooters went to Brandreth Road after killing Hasnain Shah. Police said the police arrested four motorcyclists. In addition, recordings are being taken from more CCTV cameras, after which the siege around the killers will be further tightened.

Meanwhile, Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) Tuesday organised a protest against the murder of Hasnain Shah, a senior crime reporter. The protest organised on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) demanded the arrest of the killers within 48 hours. If the murderers are not nabbed, journalists will protest in all cities of the country, they said.

There is not a word from the government about the criminals even after 24 hours of the murder in broad daylight right in front of the Press Club. The journalists demanded why the killers still remain unknown and vowed not to rest until the arrest of the killers. Those who spoke on the occasion were Qamar Zaman, PUJ President, Khawaja Aftab, PUJ, General Secretary, Salman Qureshi, Senior Vice President Lahore Press Club, Arshad Ansari, former president Lahore Press Club, Zulfiqar Mehtu, PFUJ Treasurer, Asghar Khan, Vice-Chairman APNEC (All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation) and several others.