Day: December 22, 2023

SARGODHA: Mianwali police broke into the house of Dawn correspondent, Khursheed Anwar Khan, on Thursday night for no reason and harassed the family.

About a dozen policemen cordoned off the house while women police searched the house without producing any warrants and harassed his wife.

The police, this correspondent was told, are not happy with the journalist for reporting the recent incidents of snatching nomination papers from the PTI aspirants from Mianwali district, as well as for assisting PTI district vice president of women wing Amara Niazi, who is his relative, in submitting her nomination papers.

While leaving Khan’s house, the police said they raided the house on a tip-off that the journalist was hiding Amara Niazi and other PTI activists. It is also learnt that Khurshid Anwar Khan has extensively reported on the treatment meted out to former MNA Amjad Khan Niazi, currently in jail in the May 9 cases. Niazi was not allowed to sign his nomination papers despite the orders of the special judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court, Sargodha.

Khurshid Anwar Khan has an unblemished repute as a journalist and lawyer and there is no case against him.

Earlier, the Dawn correspondent had reported the incidents of snatching of nomination papers of the two PTI ticket aspirants from the returning office on the district court premises on Wednesday. Though both the aspirants blamed the policemen in civvies, the police had rejected their charges and showed ignorance about the alleged incidents.

The aspirants included Ziaullah Khan Niazi advocate, a retired judicial officer, and Rafiullah Khan, the brother of former PTI MPA Ameenullah Khan and Gen Sanaullah Khan Shaheed.

Meanwhile, the District Bar Association boycotted local courts on Thursday to show their resentment against objectionable behaviour of local police with bar members during collection of nomination papers at the RO office on Wednesday. The lawyers in the chanted slogans against the government and local police. In another incident, the police raided the lawyer’s house who got nomination papers for PTI ex-MNA Amjad Ali Khan. The DBA demanded replacement of the returning officer.

Source: Dawn

The post House of Dawn correspondent raided for reports on PTI leaders first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

SARGODHA: Mianwali police broke into the house of Dawn correspondent, Khursheed Anwar Khan, on Thursday night for no reason and harassed the family.

About a dozen policemen cordoned off the house while women police searched the house without producing any warrants and harassed his wife.

The police, this correspondent was told, are not happy with the journalist for reporting the recent incidents of snatching nomination papers from the PTI aspirants from Mianwali district, as well as for assisting PTI district vice president of women wing Amara Niazi, who is his relative, in submitting her nomination papers.

While leaving Khan’s house, the police said they raided the house on a tip-off that the journalist was hiding Amara Niazi and other PTI activists. It is also learnt that Khurshid Anwar Khan has extensively reported on the treatment meted out to former MNA Amjad Khan Niazi, currently in jail in the May 9 cases. Niazi was not allowed to sign his nomination papers despite the orders of the special judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court, Sargodha.

Khurshid Anwar Khan has an unblemished repute as a journalist and lawyer and there is no case against him.

Earlier, the Dawn correspondent had reported the incidents of snatching of nomination papers of the two PTI ticket aspirants from the returning office on the district court premises on Wednesday. Though both the aspirants blamed the policemen in civvies, the police had rejected their charges and showed ignorance about the alleged incidents.

The aspirants included Ziaullah Khan Niazi advocate, a retired judicial officer, and Rafiullah Khan, the brother of former PTI MPA Ameenullah Khan and Gen Sanaullah Khan Shaheed.

Meanwhile, the District Bar Association boycotted local courts on Thursday to show their resentment against objectionable behaviour of local police with bar members during collection of nomination papers at the RO office on Wednesday. The lawyers in the chanted slogans against the government and local police. In another incident, the police raided the lawyer’s house who got nomination papers for PTI ex-MNA Amjad Ali Khan. The DBA demanded replacement of the returning officer.

Source: Dawn

The post House of Dawn correspondent raided for reports on PTI leaders first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

ISLAMABAD – All Pakistan Newspapers Society strongly denounced attack at residence of the Chief Editor of Daily Ausaf and Chairman, ABN Group, Raja Mehtab Khan, calling it an attack on the freedom of press.

APNS Secretary General Sarmad Ali said a contingent of law enforcers barged into the residence of Raja Mehtab Khan, roughed up the guards, and smashed the central gate of the residence.

Cops harassed and abused residents at Mehtab Khan’s residence without sharing any valid reason.

Pakistani newspaper organization considers the attack as an attempt to harass and threaten the media at the eve of the general elections, which are slated to be held in February.

APNS also lamented no action from police high-ups, despite an application submitted by the media group to SSP Islamabad.

The newspaper society officials urged the capital administration and Inspector General Police to immediately investigate the matter and take action against the Police party and ensure that no such acts would be repeated against other media outlets.

Source: Pakistan Observer

The post APNS condemns attack at residence of Daily Ausaf’s Chief Editor Raja Mehtab Khan first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

ISLAMABAD – All Pakistan Newspapers Society strongly denounced attack at residence of the Chief Editor of Daily Ausaf and Chairman, ABN Group, Raja Mehtab Khan, calling it an attack on the freedom of press.

APNS Secretary General Sarmad Ali said a contingent of law enforcers barged into the residence of Raja Mehtab Khan, roughed up the guards, and smashed the central gate of the residence.

Cops harassed and abused residents at Mehtab Khan’s residence without sharing any valid reason.

Pakistani newspaper organization considers the attack as an attempt to harass and threaten the media at the eve of the general elections, which are slated to be held in February.

APNS also lamented no action from police high-ups, despite an application submitted by the media group to SSP Islamabad.

The newspaper society officials urged the capital administration and Inspector General Police to immediately investigate the matter and take action against the Police party and ensure that no such acts would be repeated against other media outlets.

Source: Pakistan Observer

The post APNS condemns attack at residence of Daily Ausaf’s Chief Editor Raja Mehtab Khan first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

KARACHI: Media organisations on Thursday expressed grave concern over the curbs on media and said the journalist fraternity would make every possible struggle for freedom of expression and people’s right to information.

In a joint statement, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors Association said it was very worrying that people were being deprived of the right to information by taking away the freedom of media. They said it was surprising that the coverage of important cases, including that of cipher, had been banned.

The statement said the ban imposed on media coverage of important cases was nothing but depriving the people of their right to information. It added that newspapers and channels were facing challenges such as pressure from state institutions, illegal and unannounced censorship, emphasis on promotion of desired content, restriction on judicial and political coverage and pressure on journalists and channels.

The statement said the judiciary was the only door of relief in this tense environment, but if this door was closed, the situation would worsen.

The media practitioners’ representative organisations said an atmosphere of terror was being created for the media persons through pressure from state institutions and the regulator Pemra, adding that they faced illegal and unannounced harassment and restrictions on a daily basis.

They said the journalist fraternity would not accept any curbs on media in any way, adding that it was the right of the media to know what is going on and to take all possible steps to ensure the freedom of expression. They expressed the determination that they would do every possible struggle for the freedom of expression in the country, for which all legal means would be taken.

Source: Dawn

The post Media bodies slam curbs on journalists first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

KARACHI: Media organisations on Thursday expressed grave concern over the curbs on media and said the journalist fraternity would make every possible struggle for freedom of expression and people’s right to information.

In a joint statement, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors Association said it was very worrying that people were being deprived of the right to information by taking away the freedom of media. They said it was surprising that the coverage of important cases, including that of cipher, had been banned.

The statement said the ban imposed on media coverage of important cases was nothing but depriving the people of their right to information. It added that newspapers and channels were facing challenges such as pressure from state institutions, illegal and unannounced censorship, emphasis on promotion of desired content, restriction on judicial and political coverage and pressure on journalists and channels.

The statement said the judiciary was the only door of relief in this tense environment, but if this door was closed, the situation would worsen.

The media practitioners’ representative organisations said an atmosphere of terror was being created for the media persons through pressure from state institutions and the regulator Pemra, adding that they faced illegal and unannounced harassment and restrictions on a daily basis.

They said the journalist fraternity would not accept any curbs on media in any way, adding that it was the right of the media to know what is going on and to take all possible steps to ensure the freedom of expression. They expressed the determination that they would do every possible struggle for the freedom of expression in the country, for which all legal means would be taken.

Source: Dawn

The post Media bodies slam curbs on journalists first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

HARIPUR: A local journalist formally requested the district police officer here on Thursday for ordering the registration of a criminal case against officials of the Halal Food Authority for allegedly attempting to beat him up.

He also accused those officials of stopping him from gathering information for a news report.

The DPO marked the complaint to the SHO of the City Police Station with instructions for necessary action under the law.

Arshad Mehmood, a correspondent for a local newspaper, lodged a complaint with the DPO insisting that on the way to the main bazaar on Dec 18, he saw the HFA officials collect Rs5,000 “fine” from vendors selling food items in cabins near Sidiq-i-Akbar Chowk.

He added that the officials didn’t issue receipts of the fine collected.

The complainant said he asked officials about the offense committed by vendors and the reason for not issuing fine receipts, so they claimed their act was lawful.

He added that when he pressed for details, food officials Ahsan Iqbal, Anjum, Salman Ahmad, Nabeel Usman and others attempted to assault him physically. At the same time, one of them pointed a pistol at him.

He also filed a complaint with the HFA director-general on the matter and demanded action against officials.

When contacted, the SHO said the police were investigating the matter as a legal requirement before the registration of a criminal case against officials.

Meanwhile, the police booked the correspondent on the complaint of HFA assistant director Ruqaya Nawaz Khan under sections 186,506 and 353 of the PPC for allegedly interrupting the drive against the violators of Halal food laws, following and harassing officials, hurling threats at them, and provoking people against them. The journalist obtained pre-arrest bail from a local court.

Source: Dawn

The post Haripur journalist demands action against officials first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).