Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad’s entry to the National Press Club in Islamabad has been banned temporarily after the minister made insulting remarks about a journalist undergoing cancer treatment at a Rawalpindi hospital.
The decision was taken after NPC President Shakeel Qarar met Geo TV video journalist Nasir, who is receiving treatment for cancer at Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi, a press release issued by the press club said.
According to the statement, Rasheed had “uttered insulting sentences which deeply hurt Nasir’s sentiments” when a local journalist drew his attention towards the sick journalist.
In the light of the remarks, the press club has decided to place a ban on the coverage of Rasheed in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and on his entry in NPC Islamabad and the Rawalpindi camp office for a week.
The press club appealed to reporters, video and photojournalists to follow the prohibition and also requested press clubs across the country to bar Rasheed’s entry for seven days.
