LAHORE- The Sutlej Rangers on April 11, 2003 turned mediamen invited to the Wagah Border by the Press Information Department and the Evacuee Trust Property Board for the coverage of the arrival of Indian Sikh pilgrims out of the check-post area.

The Rangers officials first tried to stop the bus and wagon carrying the journalists outside the check-post limits. Both the vehicles, however, entered the check-post limits and reached the parking area. Reporters and photographers alighted from the vehicles but were prevented from proceeding towards the border and were told to leave the check-post area.

A Rangers official carrying a wireless set told the mediamen that their captain had ordered them not to allow the mediamen in the area. When the reporters and photographers asked him to let them talk to the captain, he told them that he did not want to talk to them either and wanted them to leave immediately. He said that the mediamen would be forced to leave in case they did not leave on their own.

It transpired later on that the Rangers Captain had taken exception to the objection raised by a senior reporter over the permission given to a private television channel team to cover the arrival of the Sikh pilgrims and ordered that all other mediamen should be kept away from the border. The senior reporter had reached the border before the rest of the mediamen and found the reporter and photographer of the television channel busy in making arrangements for coverage.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/12/2003