ISLAMABAD- Editors of the capital-based newspapers have demanded an institution of impartial inquiry into the incidents of killings of a number of media persons while performing their professional duties during the Iraq war.

They passed a resolution to this effect at their meeting held here on April 10, 2003 under the chairmanship of Zahid Malik, Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, who is also Vice President of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).

The editors of the dailies ex-pressed shock and dismay over killing of about half a dozen journalists and cameramen during coalition forces aggression against Iraq. They condemned these incidents, some of which seemed to have been deliberate attempts of targeting them for their re-porting of the war. In this connection, the editors referred to the attacks on hotels where offices of the media were located.

The participants were of the opinion that the gravity of situation demands that each and every incident should be thoroughly probed, mar by some neutral international agency, to pin-point the circumstances leading to such tragedies and to forestall their recurrence in future. It also urged journalists throughout the world to raise the issue at different platforms.

The meeting demanded that all countries must take steps to protect mediamen who are doing their professional duty.

Those who attended the meeting include Mr. Ziauddin, Resident Editor, Dawn; Mr. Tariq Warsi, Resident Editor Nawa-i-Waqt; Ms Ayesha Haroon, Resident Editor, The Nation; Sh. Iftikhar Adil Chief Editor, Asas; Mr. Ghulam Akbar, Chief Editor, AI-Akhbar; Mr. KhushnoodA1i Khan, Chief Editor Sahafat; Rana Tahir Mehmood, Editor, Jang; Mr. Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Chief Editor, Ausaf and Sardar Khan Niazi, Chief Editor, Pakistan.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/13/2003