ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec) have expressed concern over the rising incidents of violence against journalists and attacks on their families.

The two organisations adopted resolutions during a three-day meeting here, condemning violence against journalists, calling for the release of lawyers and political workers, independence of the judiciary, withdrawal of the PCO and implementation of the Seventh Wage Award.

The two bodies condemned the murders of journalist Zubair Ahmed Mujahid in Mirpurkhas and the widow of journalist Hayatullah in a tribal area.

The meeting observed that the law enforcement agencies were making increasing resort to caning of journalists. “Seven such cases have been reported over the past one month,” they said.

The participants said that in view of the soaring prices, the non-implementation of the Seventh Wage Award was “tantamount to economic strangulation of workers associated with the media industry”.

Another resolution paid tributes to the lawyers’ struggle for the independence of judiciary, criticising the removal of judges who did not take oath under the PCO.

The meeting condemned the extension in the detention of Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/4/2007