GILGIT, Nov 18: Human rights and journalist organizations have expressed concern over increasing incidents aimed at harassing journalists to stop them from performing their professional duties.

In a statement, Gilgit Union of Journalists said government officials were using state powers as well as resources to pressure mediapersons in order to conceal their own wrongdoings.

It said notices were being served on journalists in order to pressure them.

A local journalist, Zulfiqar Ali, was served with a notice by district council member Raja Shehbaz after he tried to expose some deals he had allegedly made under the table. Coordinator Human Rights Organisation Israruddin condemned the move, adding elements who wanted to pressure journalists would not succeed in their mission.

The statement demanded that the federal government should order a probe into the matter and protect the mediapersons.

The journalists union also said that despite non-bailable warrant issued by the apex court of Northern Areas the police had not produced an ex-SSP Gilgit, Pervez Ahmed Chandio, before the court in a journalist torture case.

HELICOPTER: The Northern Areas administration is considering procurement of a helicopter to reach inaccessible parts of the region during natural calamities.