Rabbani lauds journalists’ role in strengthening democracy

Islamabad
Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on Monday said those hatching conspiracies against the Constitution not only want to derail the democratic process but also want to deprive the marginalised segments, including the labour class, of their rights.
Addressing a reception held here in his honour by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Employees Union, he said the labour class should get united across the country because the business class always divided them for their personal gains.
“We have initiated a section of public petition on the website of the Senate and any one including labourers can post their petition regarding any issue and the relevant committee will decide whether it can be discussed in the Upper House of parliament,” he said.
The Senate chairman said the journalists always rendered great sacrifices to protect the Constitution and he has no hesitation to say that the media has been playing a significant role in strengthening democracy in the country.
Raza Rabbani said the trade unions should protect the rights of the labourers, adding, “Those who say that Constitution alone cannot fill the stomach want to deprive the people of their democratic rights.”
PFUJ president Afzal Butt said the journalists would hold protest sit-in in front of the Parliament House after Eid because the government has taken no step to help them obtain their constitutional rights.
“We will not end the sit-in in front of the Parliament House unless the government accepts our demands. Pakistan has become one of the dangerous countries for the journalists but the government has failed to arrest killers of the murdered journalists,” he said.
He said Mian Raza Rabbani always led from the front in the movements to protect the rights of the labour class and he even suffered serious injuries but refused to make any compromise on his principles.
Those who spoke on the occasion included MQM Senator Mian Atiqur Rehman, CDA Labor Union general secretary Chaudhry Yasin, Pakistan Hawkers Federation general secretary Tika Khan, JI’s leader Mian Muhammad Aslam, Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) president Ali Raza Alvi and RIUJ general secretary Bilal Dar.