Staff Report
LAHORE– A large number of journalists staged a protest demonstration outside the Punjab Assembly on Monday against what they called a “propaganda campaign” by Lahore Police, alleged attempts to register cases under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), and incidents of police violence against journalists in Shahdara.
The Punjab Assembly Press Gallery Committee boycotted the assembly session in solidarity with reporters.
Responding to the protest call given by journalist organizations, dozens of reporters gathered outside the assembly and chanted slogans against Lahore Police, particularly DIG Operations Faisal Kamran.
Speaker Forms Committee to Address Journalists’ Grievances
Taking notice of the situation, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan formed a two-member committee led by Chief Whip of PML-N Rana Arshad to engage with journalists and address their grievances.
During a press conference at the Assembly Media Briefing Hall, Punjab Union of Journalists General Secretary Qamar-uz-Zaman Bhatti, Vice President Nadeem Zaeem, Lahore Photographers Association President Waseem Niaz, and Press Gallery Committee President Khawaja Nasir accused the Lahore Police of using “cheap tactics to suppress media voices,” warning that such moves were a direct assault on democracy and press freedom.
PFUJ and Lahore Press Club Condemn PECA Cases and Violence
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists General Secretary and Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari said: “Journalists do not want confrontation with any institution, but there will be no compromise on truth.
The brutal attack on working reporters in Shahdara and the attempts to register cases under PECA are unacceptable. We have no guns—our struggle is through pens and microphones.”
He challenged DIG Operations Faisal Kamran to register cases not just against six crime reporters but against the entire journalist fraternity of Lahore.
Punjab Government Assures Journalists of Support
Addressing the protesters, Rana Arshad assured them that the Punjab government stood with journalists and would not tolerate any “unlawful actions” against them.
“The journalist community has always played a vital role in strengthening democracy. On this issue, the Punjab government and Lahore’s journalist community are on the same page,” he said.
Prominent journalist leaders including Lahore Press Club Senior Vice President Afzal Talib, Joint Secretary Imran Sheikh, Punjab Union of Journalists office-bearers, members of the Crime Reporters Association, and leaders of photographers’ and cameramen’s associations also joined the protest.
Earlier, a joint meeting of journalist organizations was held at Lahore Press Club to discuss police attempts to register PECA-related cases against reporters.
The meeting, attended by senior representatives of the PFUJ, Lahore Press Club, Punjab Union of Journalists, Press Gallery Committee, Crime Reporters Association, Photographers Association, Cameramen Association, and Sports Journalists Federation, resolved that the journalist community would remain united and strongly resist all attempts to suppress press freedom.