(PPF/IFEX) – On 14 January 2005, 10 persons, including nine journalists, were injured when activists of a sectarian religious organisation attacked the Lahore Press Club (LPC), in the capital city of Punjab province. The attackers threw stones and bricks, smashing cars parked at the club, as well as the LPC building’s window panes. Activists of […]
(PPF/IFEX) – On 14 January 2005, 10 persons, including nine journalists, were injured when activists of a sectarian religious organisation attacked the Lahore Press Club (LPC), in the capital city of Punjab province. The attackers threw stones and bricks, smashing cars parked at the club, as well as the LPC building’s window panes.
Activists of the Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) had gathered outside the LPC to stage a demonstration protesting the death of Shiite religious scholar Agha Ziauddin, who had earlier been injured in sectarian riots in Pakistan’s Northern Areas.
The demonstrators first harassed senior journalist Asghar Butt. When other journalists came to rescue their colleague, ISO activists started beating them and pelting stones and petrol bombs at the club premises. They then entered the club and broke the window panes and doors.
Journalists asked police outside the press club to take action, but the officers made no effort to stop the attackers. The demonstrators remained in the LPC courtyard for almost 30 minutes before police finally escorted them off the premises.
Journalists Amer Moghal, Moazzam Bhatti, Rai Hasnain Tahir, Shadab Riaz, Shujaat Hamid, Haji Abdul Ghafoor, Amer Sohail, Shoaib Ahmad, Ijaz Mirza and club guard Wasif sustained injuries.
Journalists later demonstrated to protest the incident. LPC office-bearers termed the incident as an attack on press freedom. LPC President Arshad Ansari demanded the attackers’ immediate arrest.
The police later registered a case and detained 148 students for attacking the press club and injuring journalists.
