ISLAMABAD, May 3: Journalists across the country observed the International Press Freedom Day on Thursday. They held demonstrations and criticised the steps taken by the government to suppress the media.

In Islamabad, a large demonstration was organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists.

They eulogised the services of the journalists who had sacrificed their lives in line of duty and those who had faced tremendous hardships to uphold the banner of freedom of the press.

The demonstrators accused the government of suppressing and undermining press freedom and said its claims of giving complete freedom to the press were hollow slogans.

A large number of journalists, other newspaper staff and representatives of the electronic media gathered at Jinnah Avenue and marched to the Parliament House and the Supreme Court building on the Constitution Avenue.

Lawyers protesting against the presidential reference against the chief justice also joined the procession and chanted slogans to express solidarity with the struggle of journalists.

Leaders of political parties and workers who were on the Constitution Avenue also expressed complete support for the struggle for an independent press.

The journalists also raised slogans demanding implementation of the seventh wage board award and formation of the eighth wage board. They criticised what they called anti-journalists and anti-workers policies of the APNS and urged the government to play its role for the implementation of the award.

Demonstrations, meetings and seminars were also held in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.

The Karachi Union of Journalists, in collaboration with the Karachi Press Club, organised an interactive dialogue on ‘State of Press Freedom in Pakistan’.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/5/2007