ISLAMABAD: A session court was told by police on Saturday that the department’s officials had only “stopped” journalists from going towards the capital’s Red Zone and did not manhandle them on World Press Freedom Day.
On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, journalists held a protest march towards D-Chowk. They were allegedly “manhandled” by police following which the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar took a suo motu notice and directed Judge Sohail Nasir to probe the matter.
SHO [Station House Officer] Khalid Awan told the court, “Police high command had ordered that nobody should be allowed to go towards the Red Zone since Section 144 had been imposed.”
After the deputy commissioner (DC) gave permission, the rally was allowed to proceed further, the SHO added.
Responding to a question, SHO Awan informed the court that the journalists were carrying placards during the rally.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Amir Niazi was also questioned by the judge after he visited the site of the incident.
SP Niazi told the court that the journalists were unable to show the police a written permission letter for the rally from the DC.
Earlier, a group of journalists had alleged that they were manhandled by the police while moving towards D-Chowk in light of World Press Freedom Day.
A report prepared by the capital’s police department claimed that journalists were stopped from entering the Red Zone and police officials were manhandled by some of the journalists.
