Around 30 to 35 unidentified people on 2 Dec 2019 staged a protest outside Dawn News office in Islamabad over publication of a news report regarding the ethnicity of the London bridge attacker.
Holding banners, chanting slogans against the newspaper, standing outside the office from 3:30 PM and making the staffers hostages, they demand for the written apology from the media group. Security guards of the media house locked the main gate and stopped the protesters to enter the premises.
Talking to the PPF, the Economic reporter of Dawn news Khaliq Kiani said that some of the protesters also misbehaved with the employees of newspaper as well as Dawn TV, when they arrived at the office.
After 2 hours of protest, President of National Press Club Shakeel Qarar call the Police and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad to sort out the matter. After lengthy negotiations with the newspaper management in the presence of an assistant commissioner, the protesters finally agreed to disperse after hurling warnings.
Talking to the PPF, President NPC condemned that working journalists would not allow curbs on press freedom, and asked the government to take steps for the protection of media persons. The incident must not be ignored by Government.
On the other side, the incident was widely condemned by various Political leaders, Journalists bodies including President of Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President PFUJ. They stated that, no one should be allowed to attack media outlets in the name of protest, action must be taken by the Government.
Related link: Dawn
