Govt urged to protect journalists

HARIPUR: The journalist fraternity here on Monday demanded that the government devise a protection mechanism against the frequent and easy targeting of the media persons or else the ever-shrinking space for media practitioners would continue to haunt hundreds of other professionals.

This was demanded at a joint meeting of the Haripur Press Club (HPC) and Haripur Union of Journalists (HUJ) held here to condemn the assassination of Peshawar-based journalist Malik Hassan Zeb in Nowshera.

The speakers said three journalists had been gunned down in the KP province alone from May to July while the lives of hundreds of others were at stake but the government had failed to devise a mechanism to ensure protection of journalists who had turned out to be easy targets of attackers.

HPC President Zakir Hussain Tanoli said frequent attacks had increased mental pressure on the journalists. HUJ President Muhammad Sadaqat said mere legislation in the name of protection of journalists would not suffice, adding the government must come up with some tangible solution.

Referring to the murders of Kamran Dawar, Khalil Jibran and now Malik Hassan Zeb, he said the assassination of three journalists during the last three months was a big question on the performance of the KP government.