PFUJ concerned over rampant incidents of media persons harassment

PFUJ concerned over rampant incidents of media persons harassment ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 :Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed serious concern over the rampant incidents of harassments to the media persons and a bid to abduct ARY TV Reporter Raja Saqib and a fresh attempt by unknown persons to harass Umar Cheema, an Investigative Reporter of The News. According to a news release of PFUJ here on Tuesday, some unidentified men made an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap ARY News Channel, Senior Reporter Raja Saqib from outside his office in F-7/4 Islamabad the other day however, he succeeded in foiling the attempt as some of his colleagues and passersby gathered at the scene, due to which the kidnappers escaped from the scene. In another incident Umar Cheema, who was abducted and ruthlessly beaten black and blue by men in police uniform last month, was chased on Sunday by men in a Land Cruiser as he drove with his family on the Islamabad Expressway. The PFUJ affiliated Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) took immediate notice of both the incidents and staged demonstration before the National Press Club which was also joined by the members and office bearers of the national Press Club. PFUJ join hands of the RIUJ and expressed its solidarity with both the Raja Saqib and Umber Cheema victim of the harassments and intimidation adding that such incidents have created a wave of insecurity among the media persons of federal capital in particular and rest of the country in general. PFUJ said that it is the duty of the state to ensure the safety and security of each and every citizen and a conducive working environment for the media persons right to know is the fundamental right of the citizens and the media persons are supposed to do this job. So, it is the constitutional and legal obligation of the government to take notice of such uncalled and acts of the lawbreakers. PFUJ said that government should take immediate remedial steps for the security and safety of the media persons and take the culprits to the task. PFUJ also appealed to all the international journalists and human rights organisations to take notice of such uncalled for incidents and join hands with media persons of Pakistan to support their cause of the safety and security. Shamsul Islam Naz Secretary General PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS Cellular +92(0)300 8665523 +92(0)321 8665523 http://www.shamsulislamnaz.com http://www.pfuj.pk http://www.facebook.com/shamsul.naz http://shamsulisalmnaz.blogspot.com/?spref=gb http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/shamsul-islam-naz/1b/312/711 http://twitter.com/Shamsulislmpfuj