PFUJ condemns violence against journalists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has strongly condemned attacks on media persons during a PTI protest on Saturday and detention of journalist Faizan Hussain.

In a statement issued on Sunday, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said that the PTI did not give up its tradition of attacking media persons.

“It is very unfortunate that journalists are investing their all energies in covering PTI events objectively, but the party is harassing and intimidating the same people.”

They observed that when it comes to the treatment of media persons, the government and political parties are the same.

“On the one hand, the PTI subjected journalists to harassment and violence and on the other government detained Faizan Hussain accuing him of belonging to a political party.”

They said that Hussain is a senior journalist and a former secretary general of Khyber Union of Journalists and that he has no political association at all.”

PFUJ leaders demanded that Hussain should immediately be released and those who are involved in harassing and intimidating journalists should be arrested.

“We want to make it clear that if the PTI does not change its attitude towards the media, then it would face boycott by the journalist fraternity.

We also ask the government to immediately release Hussain or the media fraternity will be left with no option but to protest across the country.”