KARACHI, Sept 26: Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on Friday criticised the media for running what he described as negative stories about law-enforcement agencies that failed to recognise the progress the country had made against terrorism.

The minister upbraided the print and electronic media for running “one-sided stories” and said the media must not become instrumental in promoting the evil designs of terrorists, who wanted to create fear, panic and a sense of insecurity among the people.

He asked TV channels to be cautious while competing with each other to break the news so that they were not exploited by terrorists. By running such footage, he said, the media must not make bulletins a selling product since it would cast a negative impact on the lives of people, particularly the young generation.Accompanied by Information Minister Shazia Marri, he expressed these views while addressing a joint press conference at the auditorium of New Secretariat of the Sindh Government on Friday afternoon.

From the gist of the statements made by the two ministers the purpose of the press conference seemed to be to dispel the impression created by TV footage. The news footage showed that despite red alert in the mega city in the wake of the Marriott Hotel tragedy, the police remained as usual unconcerned of dumpers and water tankers even if they were passing through the sensitive zone where besides five-star hotels, historical buildings of the Sindh Assembly, the Sindh High Court, the Chief Minister’s House and the Governor’s House are located.

Dr Mirza said the footage’s impact on the life of the common man and economy was negative. No one could deny the fact that terrorist activities were not limited to the north-western parts of Pakistan but their cells existed even in the most developed countries like the US and European countries where they used to be active in the past, he said, adding that sometimes they were benign. “We have never denied the existence of their cells,” he said. However, he added, it was because of the vigilance that they were busted before they could hurt people.

Making the Baldia Colony incident his opening statement to appreciate the courage and performance of the police, the minister termed it the outcome of 100 per cent policing. The personnel had been equipped with necessary tools and provided respectable salaries to change their mindset that instead of working for any political party their foremost duty was to protect the people, he added.

He said this approach resulted in busting of many gangs before they could strike and cause harm to the people. Subsequently, he said many “no go” areas were opened.

Dr Mirza said the latest incident was its proof as police carried out its operation so meticulously on the hideout of the terrorist, who was the mastermind of the Nishtar Park tragedy, murder of Allama Hasan Turabi and recent attempt on the life of TPO Lyari, that no police life was lost. Although the kidnapped person also died it was yet to be ascertained whether he was shot dead or he fell prey to the explosion.

The minister said he would not tolerate any negligence on the part of police. That was why, he said, he suspended 11 police officers during the last two months as they failed to check crimes in their respective areas.

However, he lost temper during the question and answer session, which was unbecoming of an elected representative and a minister of the party, which had struggled along with journalists for the freedom of the press.

A reporter of DawnNews drew the minister’s attention towards the mistreatment with the media men outside Bilawal House and in Makli where they were roughed up by security guards of a PPP leader, whose daughter was his colleague in the cabinet. He asked, “Whereas you expect the media to be responsible, why was this incident not condemned by the government and the police did not take action so far?”

The minister said the matter was under investigation and he could recommend the action against the guilty once he received the report.

A reporter of a television channel said the MLO had identified that two out of three bodies were riddled with bullets while the minister was telling that they were killed in blast. Besides, he said why the minister was not disclosing the name of the banned outfit the terrorist, who was identified as Omar and a brother of Saifullah of the Sipah Jhangvi, belonged to?

It was also asked why the police had not been able to recover Shaukat Afridi, who had been kidnapped in May.

After the press conference, the reporters were coming out of the auditorium when the minister came face to face with them. He asked them to leave the place when they asked him a question. When his attention was drawn to the fact that it was the right of a reporter to pose a question, some journalists intervened and brought the situation under control. Later, he was heard saying: “Who were they (the reporters) to tell me how I should act?” He also asked the information minister to take up the matter with the owners of the two major media groups.