Journalists from across Pakistan staged a protest on the GT Road near Chan Da Qila in Gujranwala on July 19 after police attempted to stop the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, from attending a meeting of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).
The protest was sparked when a heavy police contingent arrived at the private hotel hosting the PFUJ’s federal executive council (FEC) meeting and informed organizers that Ayub would not be allowed to participate. This led PFUJ President Afzal Butt and General Secretary Arshad Ansari, along with other journalists, to block both sides of GT Road, disrupting traffic and chanting slogans against the police.
Negotiations between the police and PFUJ leadership ensued, and the authorities agreed to allow Ayub to attend the meeting. The protest concluded peacefully, and Ayub was able to make his address.
The PFUJ’s FEC meeting, which began on July 19 and continued until July 21, saw participation from political figures across different parties. Former federal minister Khurram Dastgir Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) attended the first session and criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and social media in his speech.
In addition to the disruption caused by the police presence, the hotel’s manager was also detained by the authorities, further escalating tensions. The PFUJ emphasized that leaders from all political parties had been invited to the event, underscoring the union’s non-partisan stance.
