ISLAMABAD, June 23 2006: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao assured on a meeting would be arranged between detained journalist Mukesh Rupeta and his family. Mukesh, who works for The News and Geo television, is in the custody of the Sindhi police. Media persons staged a walkout from the press gallery of the National Assembly to protest his detention. Federal ministers Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmed and Shamim Siddiqui went to the press gallery to listen to the grievances of the journalists. Chaudhry Shahbaz told the House about the assurance of the interior minister that a meeting of Mukesh with his family would be arranged. On, this, the journalists ended the walkout.

Earlier, MNA Chaudhry Manzoor Hussain raised the matter of Mukesh’s detention in the House. The interior minister said the journalist was not missing. “The apprehensions of his going missing and threat to his life are not correct. He is under custody in Jacobabad Airport police station,” the minister said. An FIR has been lodged against Mukesh and Shazada under sections 3A, 429, 465 and 471 and investigations are under way, he added. —APP
Source: The News
Date:6/23/2006