(PPF/IFEX) – On 26 March 1999, journalists of Hyderabad and rural Sindh held a protest rally against the police raids at the residences of two of their colleagues. The journalists held a meeting at the Hyderabad Press Club and condemned the police action. On 24th March, police assaulted Meruddin, a journalist of the Sindhi newspaper […]
(PPF/IFEX) – On 26 March 1999, journalists of Hyderabad and rural Sindh
held
a protest rally against the police raids at the residences of two of
their
colleagues. The journalists held a meeting at the Hyderabad Press Club
and
condemned the police action. On 24th March, police assaulted Meruddin, a
journalist of the Sindhi newspaper “Kawish”, and Sarwar Jamali, a
reporter
of the Sindhi daily “Koshish”, and ransacked their houses in Hyderabad.
The
journalists alleged that this action was taken at the bequest of
provincial
minister Ismail Rahoo and his brother Aslam Rahoo. The two journalists
alleged that they were beaten up and their family members maltreated in
order to stop publication of stories against the brothers.
The journalists from several dailies, including “Dawn”, “Alak”, “Khalaq”
and
“Pak”, demanded that the government take note of the situation and
intervene in the matter. They also urged the divisional administration
to
probe into the matter and restrain police from harassing journalists.
The
protesting journalists said that they were facing injustices and
atrocities
at the hands of the police and influential persons. They demanded that
editors hold discussions with government and support journalists. The
journalists demanded that an inquiry be held into the “Kawish” and
“Koshish”
incidents.
