RIUJ, RIBJA, NPC stage protest demo against FIA

Munawar Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: A protest demonstration was organized in front of National Press Club, Saturday against manhandling of Saba Bajeer (Channel 24), Irfan Malik (Channel 24), Aitzaz Hassan (Dawn TV), and host of other newsmen at the PIMS Friday night where SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi, who was earlier arrested after cancellation of his pre-arrest bail was taken to hospital for medical check-up but was allegedly being given specialized treatment by FIA Assistant Director and his team.

According to details, Saba Bajeer, the lady reporter of Channel 24, ultimately caught the wind after spending a long time and approached Zafar Hijazi and took some snaps of him through her cell phone and enquired about his health. Feeling that if the pictures taken by Saba Bajeer were aired, the FIA team would land in trouble for giving extra-ordinary facilitation at PIMS, the FIA official mishandled Saba Bajeer and got deleted the data from her cell phone. The FIA personal and family members of Zafar Hijazi also manhandled and torn the clothes of her colleague Irfan Malik and later detained both of them in a room after snatching their cell phones. 

The FIA personnel also allegedly attacked Aitzaz Hassan of Dawn TV. In the meantime, a number of journalists had gathered there along with office-bearers of journalist bodies and started protesting against the FIA personnel and the PIMS administration.

Chairman of the Journalist Panel and Director North, Channel 24, while addressing the huge demonstration comprising enraged newsmen, media workers, politicians, representatives from the civil society blamed a mindset for attacking the other mindset which was creating a psychological effect. He said Saba Bajeer belongs to interior Sindh with high hopes and her family is now pushing her to come back after Friday's incident.

He said he would like to warn the minions of Interior Minister and administration that they will continue their protest unless the FIR against the FIA atrocities on journalists is not registered. He asked why the city was closed in the name of security when the Prime Minister's daughter appeared in the JIT? He said all women should be given respect to whatever family or class they belong to.

Earlier, RIUJ General Secretary Ali Raza Alvi, presented the background of the incident at PIMS against which they were staging a protest demonstration. He said the crime of the Saba Bajeer is that she exposed the FIA personnel who were giving extraordinary protocol to SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi who was under arrest. 

He accused FIA personnel of manhandling not only Saba Bajeer but Irfan Malik and Aitzaz Hassan and creating scenes at the PIMS. He said media always shows reality. He warned all and sundry to give up breaking cameras of newsmen in a bid to conceal their own misdeeds.

He said the PFUJ, RIUJ and NPC office-bearers are going to meeting in the evening to chalk out their further strategy. He indicated that they may stage a protest demonstration at the Press conference of Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali scheduled to be held Sunday afternoon at Punjab House.

He also criticized the alleged threatening calls of Riasat Gondal to Kalbe Ali (Dawn) to disclose the source of his story otherwise his legs will be broken. Kalbe Ali handed over an application to the RIUJ General Secretary on this matter.

Nargis Faiz Malik of PPP, in her address announced Benazir Award for Saba Bajeer for her brave resistance at PIMS against the FIA personnel. She said the PPP will also approach the relevant United Nations offices to lodge a complaint in this connection and will support the cause of journalists till end.

Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, PPP Punjab Information Secretary, in his address expressed complete solidarity with the journalist community on behalf of the Party leadership. He condemned Interior Minister Ch. Nisar and the Chief Cop for not taking any suitable action against the culprits and for not ordering the police to register the FIR. He said that such incidents are against the spirit of rule of law and assured the protesting journalists to continue supporting their cause. He said the matter will also be taken up in Senate on Monday and later at the National Assembly.

PTI Spokesman Fawad Chaudhry, in his address on the occasion said, the media persons were manhandled at the PIMS because they played a constructive role during the hearing of the Panamagate Case. He said that apparently the PML-N government desires to repeat the Model Town episode everywhere. He also criticized Zafar Hijazi on falling 'ill' just after his arrest.

Civil Society activist, Tahira Abdullah, in here address said that media is not alone in its struggle. He suggested approaching the top court to file a petition against harassment of a woman and mishandling of journalists instead of approaching the Interior Minister or the FIA. He offered herself to be one of the signatories of the proposed petition.

NPC Secretary Imran Yaqoob Dhillon, NPC Finance Secretary M. Ishaque Chaudhry, FEC Member Amir Sajjad Syed, Qurban Satti of RIBJA, Kalbe Ali of Dawn, Aun Sahi (Bureau Chief Channel 24) and others also addressed the gathering and expressed similar views.