LAHORE: The Multan Union of Journalists (MUJ) on Tuesday held a protest against the police for registering an alleged extortion case against the chief editor of a local newspaper.

MUJ president Rauf Maan and general secretary Javed Iqbal Amber led the protest held outside the Multan Press Club. Senior journalists, including Aamir Hussaini, Daily Baithak Editor Tariq Ismail, Saeed Makval, Imran Ali, Nauman Bhutta, Rana Javed, Nadeem Shah, Mian Maqsood, Ghulam Rasool Gurmani, Malik Arif Kalro, Muhammad Ali Sultan, Riaz Khokhar, Azam Malik and others were present.

The protest was held against the Multan police for registering a case against Daily Baithak Chief Editor Abdul Sattar Baloch. The protesters vowed to ensure press freedom and demanded the government and the IGP take notice of the victimisation of the journalist and provide him with justice.

Mr Maan said the government should take notice of the incident of harassment of the journalist by registering the case. He said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz should stop turning the province into a police state. He added that the state institutions were taking action against the journalists who reported gas and electricity theft and tax evasion committed by an industrialist. He said the government should take action against the police for registering a fake case against a chief editor of a newspaper.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2024