ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday suspended the proceedings for eight minutes to express solidarity with Islamabad based senior The News journalist Ahmed Noorani, who was physically tortured by unknown motorcyclists near Zero Point three days ago.
The journalists’ community walked out of the press gallery of Senate against this incident and demanded to arrest the perpetrators of this act.
Following the directions of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Mushahidullah Khan, and PPP’s Taj Haider, visited the protesting journalists and tried to convince them for their return in press galleries.
The Senate chairman said that it is an attack on freedom of the press which can’t be allowed. “Such attempts would not be tolerated by the Parliament as we struggled along with journalists for freedom of expression,” he added.
He also said that it is the responsibility of the Parliament to safeguard another pillar of the state, and referred the matter to the Senate Standing Committee on Interior with a direction to report to the House within 20 days.
Raza Rabbani also said that the bill for the protection of journalists should be tabled in both Houses within one month.
Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that a resolution should be adopted to condemn this incident and police officials of the area should be suspended.
Mushahidullah Khan said that this is an attack on the freedom of media and voices of such bold journalists can’t be curbed. Senator Taj Haider said that safe city cameras have been installed but it is very strange that footage of this incident and absconders have not been captured by these security cameras.