Taking notice of attacks on media houses in Karachi and Hyderabad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has directed the Sindh IG to ensure security to media outlets at all cost, reported a private TV channel.
Media houses and press clubs in Karachi, Lahore and Hyderabad came under attack by raged masses who gathered on Friday to protest against the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, convicted killer of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.
Four journalists were wounded in Hyderabad, while vehicles were damaged and news men were harassed in Karachi and Lahore at the hands of protesters. The CM condemned attacks on the offices of Aaj News, Express News, and Hyderabad Press Clubs and damaged vehicles and public property.
Qaim Ali Shah directed the IG to provide security to all the people affiliated with print or electronic media and to bring the perpetrators of today’s incidents to justice. He also directed all the DIGs to take concrete measures in their jurisdiction and to keep a watch on wrongdoers. Shah further directed police and Rangers to increase patrolling and conduct snap-checking across the province. He vowed to ensure the safety of life and property of citizens at any cost.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh on Information and Archives Moula Bux Chandio took serious notice of the attack of protesters on Hyderabad Press Club.
Chandio directed the police and district administration to take extraordinary measures for providing maximum security to the journalists community, press clubs and offices of the media organisations.
In a statement issued on Friday, he strongly condemned the ransacking of Hyderabad Press Club and Aaj TV office in Karachi and expressed his firm resolve on the part of the Sindh government for providing security and safety to the journalists and media houses.
It said after hearing about the attack by protesters on Hyderabad Press Club, the advisor to CM Sindh talked to the SSP Hyderabad and directed him to control and normalise the situation without any delay. Chandio also spoke to Khalid Khokhar, Hamid Shaikh and other senior journalists and got details about the incident.
He further directed the police and other law enforcement agencies to evolve an effective mechanism for the safety and security of journalists, especially when they are performing their professional duties.